Donald (Don) James Carroll

Donald James Carroll, beloved husband and father, 89, of Concord, passed away Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Atrium Health Cabarrus Hospital surrounded by his family and friends. 

Don was born January 25, 1934 in Missouri to the late William Allen Carroll and the late Patty Daisy Carroll. 
He was also preceded in death by his baby sister, Patsy Ruth Carroll; and brothers, William Carroll and Barry Carroll. 

After serving his country as a member of the US Air Force and and honorably retiring after more than 20 years of service, Don worked as a polygraph examiner for 38 years having graduated from the Zonn Institute of Polygraph in 1980. He subsequently went to work with his brother Bill conducting polygraphs for clients in and around St. Louis, Missouri. In late 1984 he took a job as a polygraph examiner with the A. Madley Corporation, a large private polygraph firm headquartered in Charlotte. In 1985 he and his family relocated to Charlotte and he spent over 2 years working for the A. Madley Corporation. In 1987 he applied for and was awarded a job as an examiner with the Charlotte Police Department which became the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) in 1993 with the merger of the city and county police departments. Don spent a total of 31 years as a reliable, respected and well liked employee of CMPD, working there from September 30, 1987 to November 2, 2018. Don played a significant role at CMPD by helping management screen applicants to make informed hiring decisions and assisting detectives by assessing a suspect's guilt or innocence utilizing his expertise in polygraph. Don was a former president and board chairman of the North Carolina Polygraph Association and was a member for many years of the American Association of Police Polygraphists, the American Polygraph Association and the South Carolina Association of Polygraph Examiners. In 2017 Don was given an award by the American Association of Police Polygraphists for his outstanding service to the polygraph profession and after retiring from CMPD in 2018 he was awarded the life membership designation by the North Carolina Polygraph Association for his contributions to that organization and his admirable work as a polygraph examiner.  Words to describe Don would be faithful, kind, loyal, generous, and loving. He was loved by all who met him. Donald loved his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, his family, and friends with all of his heart.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 61 years, Esther Carroll; daughter, Gwendolyn Carroll; many beloved nieces and nephews; and extended family, Scott, Nancy, and Oksana Starcher. 

The family will receive friends from 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm, Friday, August 4, 2023 at Grace Church at 2007 Stallings Rd, Harrisburg, 28075. The funeral service will follow on Friday at 2:00 pm officiated by Pastor Doug Agnew. Burial will follow at the Carolina Memorial Park Harrisburg at 12015 University City Blvd., Charlotte.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Church at http://graceharrisburg.org/give-online.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg is serving the Carroll family.