Donald W. Carroll

Donald W. Carroll, age 86, died peacefully in his sleep April 26, 2018, at Absolut Care of Three Rivers in Gang Mills, NY.

He was born October 25, 1931 in West Monroe, NY, the son of Edward and Norma C. (Dodge) Carroll.

He was known both as "Don" and "Dave," a nickname given to him years ago by a fellow railroad worker.

Don was the consummate story teller and an inveterate flirt, who was loved both for his impish smile and his ability to connect with others.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy from 1949 to 1951, he served as a Seaman 1st Class as a member of a select unit of divers that would later become the Navy Seals during the Korean conflict. After the Navy, Don went to work for the New York Central Railroad, where he was a trainman for 18 years.

In the spring of 1970, he met Daisy Lee Mandell Spernyak of Corning. They fell in love quickly and were married that summer on August 29.

Don went on to work at Corning Glass Works, where he was a decorator and ware inspector for 15 years. He worked for World Kitchen for three more years before retiring in 2000.

Don had a rich life filled with events that became the topics of some of the most amazing stories. Hearing his stories left you convinced that Don must have had an earlier life as a cat. In high school, a fire on a gas-powered generator singed most of his hair and earned him the nickname, "Fireball," in his high school yearbook. Later in life, he was struck by lightning three times, thrown through the windshield of a car, fell from a roof twice, kicked in the face by a horse, and hit by a train more than once. All true stories.

"I guess I've lived a pretty interesting life," he would say often.

He is survived by his children, Patrick (Linda) Spernyak of North Tonawanda, NY; Diane (John) Gargano, of Coopers Plains, and Mary Beth (Tom) Beiswenger, of Corning, grandchildren Steven (Tracy) Spernyak of Cheektowaga, NY; Adam Spernyak of North Tonawanda; Nick Gargano, of Painted Post; Aimee Kirkendall, Christopher Kirkendall, Michael (Annette) Beiswenger, and Steven Beiswenger, all of Corning; Jana (Frankie) Beiswenger Delisle of San Francisco, CA; sisters-in-law, Gloria Carroll, of West Monroe; Sandy (Bob) Glover, of Auburn, NY, and Denise Mandell, of Corning; brother-in-law, Steve (Pat) Mandell Sr., of Corning; great-grandchildren, Kaitlan Chase and Kristen Gargano, of Painted Post, Gabriel Patrick Spernyak, of Cheektowaga; Frank Buck, of Hammondsport, NY, Dalton James Delisle, of San Francisco, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Don was predeceased by wife, Daisy Lee Carroll, parents, sister, Patricia Carroll Phillips, brother, Edward Carroll, and grandson, Michael Christopher Gargano.

Calling hours are from 4-6 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, at Acly-Stover Funeral Home, 327 E. Second St, Corning. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home following calling hours, Father Lew Brown officiating.

The family would like to thank Absolut Care of Three Rivers for his care over the past three years.

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