Mary Janet Carroll, age 94, of Fortuna passed away peacefully at home on April 6, 2026, while in the loving care of her son, Brad.

Mary was born on January 27, 1932, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Eugene Robert Kinney and Ethel Donovan. She was the youngest, and last survivor, of eight siblings. Mary lived the past 30 years in Fortuna. For 64 years she was married to Donald “Buck” Carroll, who died in 2017. The couple met in Corona del Mar, where they both worked for Pacific Bell. Mary left her work as an operator for PacBell when the family relocated to the Tahoe area. For the next 10 years, Mary worked as a school librarian. An athletic woman at a time when that was somewhat rare, Mary long enjoyed playing tennis with her husband. She was both a water and a snow skier and was a strong swimmer, another of her many passions.

Brad, who served as his mother’s caregiver for almost a decade, said the role that Mary enjoyed most was mothering her three challenging boys. Describing her, as, “the sweetest most generous and kindest person I’ve ever known,” he added, “she always placed herself last.”

A devout Catholic, Mary was a regular attendee of Sunday Mass at The Church of The Assumption in Ferndale until the COVID era ended that pleasure. Mary cherished her 100% Irish heritage and her strong family connections which included the every-three-year Kinney/Donovan family reunions, which might be held in any corner of the United States. Brad recalls the last such reunion where Mary and he were part of 600 members of the clan who packed a ballgame of the Denver Rockies, gaining the assemblage a bit of notoriety.

Among her survivors are here eldest son, Robert, of Yreka and youngest son, Beau, of Reno. Cousins. Ernie and Val Schulze were always there with love and support for the family. Special friends and neighbors include Sherry Canveri, Marge Frate and Christie Sheehan, who had lunch with Mary at least once a week.

The family would like to thank Hospice of Humboldt for their ongoing presence during the final months of Mary’s life.

A graveside service will take place on Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m. at the Sunrise Cemetery in Fortuna. Memorials in Mary’s name may be directed to Ferndale’s Church of The Assumption.