Carroll A Noel
EUGENE - Carroll Noel, age 74, died peacefully at home on January 24, 2024 surrounded by family and friends, after living with advanced prostate cancer for almost 14 years. Born July 3, 1949 in La Junta, CO, he attended 16 different schools, among them Cottage Grove High School and Lane Community College. Drafted into the US Army in 1970, he was discharged in 1973 as a Specialist SP First Class, working for two years on a base in Germany. He graduated from LCC in 1973, where he performed in their first musical, “Stop the World — I Want to Get Off” (one of 12 musicals he performed in); he also served as vice president of the LCC student body. Carroll received his BS in Education from the University of Oregon in 1975 (where he danced in the Folk Dancing Company). He then taught grades 1-8 at Harrisburg Elementary School for one year before returning to the UO to receive his Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. He taught K-1-2 for over 30 years at Lorane Elementary School, where he impacted the lives of hundreds of students, many of whom stayed in contact with him. Carroll was a founding member of both the Oregon and National Education Association Gay and Lesbian Caucuses. He also was one of the original volunteers with Shanti in Oregon, providing emotional support to persons living with AIDS and their families in the mid-1980s.
Carroll met his life partner, Paul Rohde, in 1987, and they married in 2016. They have a son, Taylor Camelio, with Cheryl Camelio and Donna Adams. Carroll sang with the In Accord Peace Choir and most recently with the Eugene Gay Men’s Chorus. He grew hundreds of orchids and had an amazing garden that fed his soul. He and Paul loved to travel and have dear friends in several countries, especially Holland. In addition to his son, Carroll is survived by daughters Christy Loy and Shalan Ryan, three grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and many beloved nieces and nephews; he will be deeply missed by his older brother, Dr. Marshall Noel.
Among his many friends in Eugene and across the country, Carroll will be remembered and missed for his leadership, his quick wit, his warm hugs, and his kindness that always put friends and strangers alike at ease. A celebration of Carroll’s life will happen in a few months; for information, please email Sharlene Simon at SMSimonConsulting@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Eugene Gay Men’s Chorus (eugenegmc.org) in Carroll’s memory is encouraged.