Clinton Richard Carroll (Rich), was born March 7, 1948 in Rapid City, SD to Clinton and Frances (Haas) Carroll. He died suddenly January 5, 2026 in Venice, Florida from complications related to kidney disease and pneumonia with family by his side.
Rich married Ramona M. (Zieglmeier) January 22, 1966. Family was always first and foremost. They shared 60 years of marriage together and were fortunate to have loved and raised two daughters, Kyla and Britaini.
He attended South Dakota School of Mines and graduated from Black Hills State with a teaching degree in 1970. The family moved to Wagner, SD and then to Worthington, MN. where he taught, coached debate and tennis. While in Wagner, Rich authored the book “Days Past” in collaboration with the Yankton Sioux tribe.
In 1980 the family moved to Mannheim, Germany where he taught at the High School with the Department of Defense schools for twenty years. He became the head tennis and chess coach. A two-time Fulbright scholarship recipient, Rich traveled to Pakistan (1975) and to Turkey (1988) to further his educational endeavors in order to provide a broader global education for his students. While living abroad, Rich and the family traveled extensively throughout Europe. Rich and Ramona enjoyed hosting friends and family, cooking, hiking in the Swiss Alps, photography, dancing and living life to its fullest.
In 2000 they returned to Rapid City where Rich began teaching at Box Elder Job Corps. During that time, he found great joy in spending time with grandsons Austin and Lucas (Wright), as well as raising, breeding, and showing English bulldogs.
He retired in 2010, and they moved to their version of paradise – Venice, Florida in 2016. There he enjoyed golfing, hunting for shark’s teeth, blue skies and warm breezes off the Gulf of Mexico. Never one to be idle, he became the local host and cocktail mixologist for friends and family.
Survivors include his wife, Ramona Carroll, Venice, FL; daughters Kyla (Greg) Wright of Rapid City; Britaini Carroll of Washington, DC; grandsons Austin (Mayra) Wright and great grandchildren Nolan and Thomas of Acworth, GA; Lucas Wright (Alyssa) of Salt Lake City, UT; sister Janette (Larry) McIntyre of Rapid City. He was also survived by nephews and nieces Doug McIntyre, Amy Norden, and Gail Lundeen, as well as Elizabeth Zieglmeier and Duke Zieglmeier.
Rich was preceded in death by his parents, Frances and Clinton Carroll; brother-in-law, Bernie Zieglmeier, sister-in-law Eileen Broadhurst and Tom Broadhurst.
A celebration of life will take place in Rapid City later this Spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Rapid City Cosmopolitan Club or a local Bulldog rescue.
