Date of Birth:
Saturday, January 3, 1931
Date of Death:
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Age:
88 years old

Donald Mark Carroll

Don (Donald) Mark Carroll, 88, of Rochester, Minnesota passed away Sunday, September 8, 2019 at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Don was born in Kansas City, Kansas on January 3, 1931 to Mark and Catherine Carroll.

He attended Catholic schools in Kansas City from 2^nd grade through 11^th until the families move in 1947 to Oronoco, Minnesota. Don graduated high school from Lourdes High School in 1948 and attended Lora’s College in Dubuque, Iowa for two years.   During summer vacations from school Don helped wait tables at his parents restaurant called Markay Dining Room.

Don volunteered to enter the military during the Korean War for the United States Air Force. After finishing he service, Don attended St. Mary’s College in Winona, Minnesota.

In 1955, Don went to California and worked for the Hughes Aircraft Company in electronics. He retired in 1959, returning to Rochester. Starting in 1960, Don worked multiple jobs at Mayo Clinic, including maintaining and setting up hundreds of dialysis machines. He retired from the Mayo Clinic in 1991.

He attended the Minnesota Flying Club and in 1967, he passed the Commercial Pilot’s License. He proceeded to give ground school and flight lessons to students.

In 1997, Don became very interested in computers and took a couple classes at Senior Center. After buying one in 2001 and attending another class, he became a Senior Center coach for students attending classes. Since moving into Charter House in 2004, he volunteered to help people here in addition to the students of the Senior Center.

Don always enjoyed helping people, especially in regards to technology or anything else he was able to do. He was always interested in “how things work” from cars, to airplanes, to computers, or anything mechanical.

He is survived by a very special friend, Mary Schwager, of Rochester, MN.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 13, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, with Reverend Luis Vargas officiating. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the Mass. The burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery.