Carroll D. Bird

On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Carroll Bird, a loving husband, and father of 2 children passed away at the age of 78.

Carroll was born on July 25, 1941, in Hanover, New Hampshire to Frank and Hazel (Stoddard) Bird. After spending his early childhood in Randolph, VT, he moved with his family to DeLand at the age of 11. He served as a US Army Tank Crewman in West Germany from 1959 to 1962. A little known fact, Carroll had an uncredited role as a tank driver in the 1961 Tina Louise film, Armored Command. An up and coming Burt Reynolds also had a small part in the movie, but Carroll never mentioned him. Afterward, he returned to DeLand and ran a block and brick masonry business with his brother Cy for many years. Carroll eventually went on to pursue a career in his favorite hobby, automobile racing. He worked with various amateur and professional race teams as a body and tire expert. On June 15, 1963, he married the love of his life Linda Carter. They raised 2 wonderful daughters, Carolyn and Lori.

Carroll liked to stay busy in his garage, often accompanied by his dog Squiggy. His passion was racing, but he was also an avid gardener and woodworker. He enjoyed antiquing with his wife and was always bringing home new projects to work on, especially old toys. Carroll never met a slot machine he didn't like. His favorite race car driver was Dale Earnhardt. He was a die-hard fan of the New England Patriots. He was known for his subtle wit and kind and caring spirit. He will be missed.

Carroll was preceded in death by his father, Frank, his mother, Hazel, his brothers, Bob, Elmer, Cy, and his sister, Mavis. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Linda, his 2 daughters, Carolyn Spradley and Lori (Chris) Boothe, his grandchildren, Stephen, Rebecca, Kylie, and Hannah, his great-granddaughter, Kyndall, his sister, Arlene Reynolds, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Allen Summerhill Funeral Home on June 5, 2020, from 6 to 8 pm.

A service will be held on June 6, 2020, at 11:00 am at Oakdale Cemetery, DeLand FL. Please wear a face mask and follow social distancing guidelines. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Mayo Clinic of Jacksonville, FL, or Halifax Health Hospice of Orange City, FL.