In late October, we saw the passing of Francis R. “Frank” Carroll, a favorite son of Worcester and one of its truly outstanding citizens.
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In late October, we saw the passing of Francis R. "Frank" Carroll, a favorite son of Worcester and one of its truly outstanding citizens.
His wake and funeral, both at St. John's Catholic Church, were two days of tribute to a man who, from humble beginnings, developed an extremely successful business. Frank had an energy level he seemed to maintain all of his life and made contributions to the city and its citizens through charitable, political, and educational programs.
His accomplishments included the establishment of the St. John's Food for the Poor program, which has become a major staple for the less fortunate in our city. He was a long-time advocate for veterans, including his work establishing a living memorial hospital in the Vietnam central highlands in memory of the men from Worcester County who died in the Vietnam War or were still missing.
I came to know Frank in June 1965 when I was 17. My father was hospitalized with congestive heart failure at Saint Vincent's Hospital. Frank came to visit my father and talk with him about the upcoming city council election. Little did I know that despite my father looking very healthy during Frank's visit, he would pass away three days later.
That unexpected introduction to Frank created an immediate bond between us that would grow stronger over the years. Pretty soon Frank was off and running with his new business, and I was on my way to law school, although we would see each other at various functions around the city.
More than 20 years ago, Frank and I would become part of the founding group of the Hanover Theatre, joining the fledgling effort by Ed Madaus and Paul Demoga to convert the former Lowe's Poli Theatre into a first-class performing center.
By that time Frank was well-established in his business and brought his financial expertise to that project. He volunteered space in his office building so the theater staff, as small as it was at the time, would have an official operating area. He was an immense help and inspiration to me when I became chair of the Hanover Theatre, as Frank made sure I was sensitive to the various competing interests impacting the theater. We became close friends.
With Frank's passing, I have lost an irreplaceable special friend, but I am not the only one. All the organizations and people who benefitted from Frank's charity have lost a true friend, but his good works will carry into the foreseeable future. His memory will always be a part of the Worcester community.
James O’Brien is a long-time Worcester attorney.
