Jimmie "Jim" Carroll

Jimmie (Jim) Richard Carroll, age 84, passed away on February 10, 2026, in La Junta, Colorado.

Jim was born on May 15, 1941, in Elida, New Mexico to Othello (O.C.) and Lorena (Holleyman) Carroll.

Jim was often referred to as a man born 100 years too late, as his free spirit aligned more with the legends of the past who lived their lives unencumbered by modern society on the western frontier. Jim left home at the young age of 12 to work on New Mexico racetracks, ponying horses and being a stable hand. At the age of 15 he found his way up to Kim, Colorado where his brother, Truett Carroll, and his family were living. He worked for numerous ranches in southeastern Colorado, including the Platt Ranch, Clardy Ranch, McCloy Ranch and Johnson Ranch. He was a good hand with horses and cattle and was skilled at building fences.

As a young man, Jim was also an accomplished saddle bronc rider, competing in many area rodeos. His biggest win came at the Belle Fouche, South Dakota rodeo and resulted in his picture being printed in the Denver Post. Having told his ranch boss, he was going to New Mexico to see his sick mother, he was surprised when he got back to work on Monday to find his boss looking at his picture in the Denver paper and asking him how his mother was doing.

In 1959 Jim married Verla Moses, from La Junta. To this union were born a son, Brett, and a daughter, Brenda. His second marriage in 1970 was to Janice Hendrickson. They had two sons, Jake and Jamison.

During the 1970’s Jim owned a farm near Manzanola and had a hay hauling business, supplying hay for Foxely Feedyard in Ordway. He also owned the Night and Day bar in La Junta for a few years and worked for an equine transport business, hauling horses across the country.

In 1983 Jim followed his nomadic tendencies and drove a sheep wagon with a team of mules to Phoenix, Arizona. The trip took him three months as he navigated his way down highways and interstates, camping along the roadsides and making new friends along the way. People were fascinated by his wagon and team of mules and would stop and take pictures with him. There were several newspaper articles written about him along his journey by local papers.

He is survived by his children, Brett Carroll, Nebraska; Brenda Haller (Dennis Vaughn), Kansas; Jake (Naomi) Carroll, British Columbia, Canada; Jamison (Pam) Carroll, Saskatchewan, Canada, and former wife Janice Ridennoure, British Columbia, Canada. He is survived by his sisters, Mary Stewart, New Mexico, Margaret Stanley, Texas, sister-in-law Regena Carroll, La Junta. He is survived by five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and many friends who will forever remember many of his favorite “Jim-ism” quotes, like “Never make a plan you can’t change.”

Jim was proceeded in death by his parents, brothers; Everett Carroll, Bob Carroll, Ted Carroll, sister Oneri McCrary, all from New Mexico, and Truett Carroll, La Junta, Colorado.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Jim at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.