Funeral services for Floyd E. Carroll, 80, former president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity's Theta Chapter, is Saturday noon at Greater Bethesda Baptist Church, 5301 S. Michigan, where he served as chair of the Deacon Board. The funeral will be preceded by a wake beginning at 10 a.m. Two visitations are scheduled at Leak's Funeral Home, 7838 S. Cottage: Friday, 6-8 p.m., and Saturday, 3-5 p.m. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

Carroll, who celebrated 50 years as an Alpha in March, retired from a management position with the U.S. Postal Service in 1999. He was born the sixth of seven children on March 8, 1927, in Mobile, Ala. His mother was the principal of her own school and his father was a baker for 40 years. Members of his held leadership positions, such as Mayor of Colored Mobile, school principals, newspaper editors and school teachers.  As a result of the family's service to the city, a township was named in their honor.

 His interest in music was cultivated by his mother, a music teacher, who taught him to play the violin at a very early age. Carroll enjoyed classical music, jazz and anthems and was a lifetime subscriber to the Lyric Opera and never tired of listening to and watching numerous opera performances. He was also an ardent student of history and was well versed in African and African American history. He served as the chairman of the Civil Rights Committee at Progressive Baptist Church during the Martin Luther King, Jr. era.

After graduation from High School he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received an honorable discharge and attended the University of Illinois at Navy Pier and he earned a degree from Chicago Teachers College. In 1956 he married Frances Graves and they had two children, Floyd Graves and Francesca Grace.

Carroll joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in 1957 and was elected president of Theta Chapter in 1959. At Progressive Baptist Church he taught Sunday School in the young adult department for over 15 years. He also sang in the senior choir. In 1970, the Carroll family joined Greater Bethesda Baptist Church where he served on the Deacon Board until his death. Carroll worked for U.S. Postal Service as a time-keeper in the Personnel Dept. until his rertirement in 1999. Also, he was an insurance broker for Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.

He is survived by his wife Dr. Frances; his son Floyd II, daughter Francesca, sisters:  Marjorie C. Maben, LaRose C. Cobb and Katrice C. Patterson, nieces and nephews: Nicholas and Margo Maben, Pierce, Angela, Bruce Cobb (Kecia), Paul (Helen), Katrice and David Patterson, Morgan II, Stanley Carroll, Augustus Allen Carroll II, William II (Johanne), Christopher Carroll (Denise), thirteen grand nieces and nephews, and eight great grand nephews; Sisters and Brother-In-Law; Grace and Carl Dawson,  Helen Carroll, Bonnie Carroll; nephews Carlton (Elaine) and Clark; rand nephew Kyle, and a host of Carroll cousins, relatives, colleagues and friends.

This article was provided by: Chicago Defender
Written by: Theresa Fambro-Hooks