Carroll Johnson's Obituary
Carroll Johnson, a woman of immeasurable kindness, creativity, and devotion, passed peacefully on November 24, 2025. Born on May 26, 1944, Carroll lived a life defined by love—love she gave freely, generously, and without condition—always closing every conversation with her signature reminder: “I love you more.”
Carroll was beautiful in every sense—inside and out. Intelligent, thoughtful, courageous, and endlessly curious, she found joy in both the grand and the simple things of life. She loved Christmas with childlike wonder, always giving more than she had to give. Early in life, she modeled in New York after winning beauty contests as a teenager, a chapter she carried with grace rather than vanity.
Creativity flowed through many chapters of Carroll’s life. She painted lead soldiers with careful detail so she could step fully into her children’s world of Dungeons & Dragons. She was famously the only grandmother in town who played World of Warcraft, proudly reaching Level 73 as a Priest and forming deep friendships along the way. She delighted in helping her family dream bigger, helping her children win a Halloween costume contest through her imagination and dedication.
She crafted shell-covered crosses so beloved in her senior living community that requests far outpaced her ability to keep up. She made jewelry, tended a garden and fish pond that brought her daily joy, and once wrote a book—never published, but meant to inspire lasting romance and creative connection within marriage.
Though she often joked that cooking was not her strongest talent, Carroll somehow always managed to create a “family favorite.” She delighted in creating experiences for her family in many ways, including through her career in radio advertising, which brought special joys such as attending movie premieres like Superman and Saturday Night Fever.
Faith was the foundation of Carroll’s life. A devoted Christian woman, she leaned on God through every trial and celebrated Him in every blessing. Her faith gave her remarkable strength and compassion, which she poured into service. Carroll volunteered with hospice, led prison outreach and ministry, and traveled abroad to share the Gospel. Through this work, she came to deeply understand the sacredness of life and the profound importance of caring for others in their most vulnerable moments.
Even through challenging chapters of her life, Carroll consistently made the very best of difficult circumstances. She demonstrated extraordinary loyalty and grace—holding her ex-husband’s hand as he took his final breath in this world. Her capacity for forgiveness, compassion, and love never wavered.
Animals were naturally drawn to Carroll’s gentle spirit. Her beloved small dogs were her constant companions—adored, doted on, and cherished like her own children, their photographs proudly filling the walls of her home. Over the years, she also lovingly cared for other animals, including cats, birds, horses, and ducks. Carroll delighted in collecting meaningful treasures—from angel sculptures to frog figurines to shell-covered crosses—each reflecting her whimsical, joyful heart.
Carroll was a cherished sister—both a big and little sister—who remains dearly loved by her surviving siblings. She loved her stepson, Steve, as her own and famously taught him to drive at what most would consider an unreasonably young age—an experience he never forgot, nor the deep admiration he held for her.
Carroll encouraged imagination and exploration in every way possible. She was an extraordinary grandmother to her six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, offering them the same boundless love, creativity, and encouragement she gave her children. She wanted little for herself and everything for the people she loved.
Carroll Johnson is survived by her two beloved sons, Dean Neese and Brent Neese; her stepson, Steve Neese; her sister, Sue Lincoln; her brothers, Richard Workman and John Chestler; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Lisa Shuttera, who passed earlier this year.
A memorial service honoring Carroll’s life will be held on January 17, 2026, at 11:00 am Eastern at Trinity Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home in Trinity, Florida. Friends and family are invited to share memories, stories, and photographs online in celebration of Carroll’s life and the love she so generously gave.
We are grateful for her life, strengthened by her faith, and comforted by the certainty that she is whole and at peace with the Lord.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)
She loved us more.
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