David Carroll, age 86 of Wayne, died on Saturday, April 15, 2017. He has lived in Wayne since 1969.

Born during the Great Depression, Dave grew up in Orange, NJ as the 3rd eldest of seven children. He graduated from Orange High School in 1948 and earned his Chemical Engineering degree from Newark College of Engineering in 1952. Right out of college, Dave was hired by the American Cyanamid Company, but in short time the U.S. Army drafted him into the service. He was stationed at Shape Headquarters in Paris, France before being discharged in 1955. It was commonplace at the time for employers to hold your job while you served in the military, and Dave returned to American Cyanamid when he came home. He began working at the Fortier Plant in Luling, LA, and for the next fourteen years he held numerous production and engineering positions there before working his way into management. Along with his fellow scientists there, they developed many of the household and industrial products that have made our lives easier for the past few decades. On one particular occasion, a scientist invited Dave and others into a dark closet to test an experimental product. Dave and the others were a bit skeptical until the scientist cracked one of the very first “light sticks” and the closet was instantly illuminated with what is now the very familiar green glow of the Cyalume lightstick. Dave became the Plant Manager at Lederle Laboratories in Pearl River, New York in 1972 before he was eventually promoted to President of Lederle Laboratories in 1978. He then became Vice President of Global Pharmaceuticals at American Cyanamid. His career there allowed him to travel the world and attend some historic events, such as the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. He was in the arena when the USA defeated Russia in hockey, of which he remarked; “that was the first hockey game I went to, and I have no need to go to another.” He also attended several Super Bowls. He retired from Cyanamid in 1985 after a career of thirty three years manufacturing and managing many products, vaccines (such as the oral Polio vaccine), biologics, antibiotics, steroids, hematinics, vitamins (such as Centrum), laboratory diagnostics, fine chemicals, Davis and Geck surgical products, germicides, dressings, and countless other products. His career was surely a storied one.

Dave met his wife Peggy Habisreitinger at an American Cyanamid company picnic in New Orleans in 1957. They began dating and were married on February 27, 1960 at St. Augustine Episcopal Church in New Orleans. They have planned to honeymoon in Florida, but it was Mardi Gras and they decided to enjoy the celebration right there in New Orleans with friends. They settled in New Orleans and started their family before moving to Wayne, NJ in 1969. They have called Pines Lake in Wayne their home ever since and they have truly enjoyed their community. Dave joined the High Mountain Golf Club and was a very competitive golfer, winning several tournaments and even achieving the elusive hole-in-one. He enjoyed traveling to Europe to play golf with his close friends. He also enjoyed tennis and occasionally went bird hunting. Around the house, he kept himself entertained by repairing appliances and tuning and repairing his own cars.

Dave grew up in the Catholic Church, but he joined the Preakness Reformed Church in 2004 and he became a very active member. He participated in the “Helping Hands” group of volunteers who would show up at the church to do various odd jobs and repairs each week. He was also a member of the “Brown Bags and Bibles” lunch every Thursday. It was truly his church home and he enjoyed the fellowship and all the friends he made there.

Dave is survived by his beloved wife of fifty seven years; Peggy of Wayne, and his three children; David Carroll and his wife Kelly of Atlanta, GA, Kathleen Carroll of Wayne, and Joann Murphy and her fiancé Brian Murphy of Montvale, NJ, his four grandchildren Dave Q, Brandon, Sean and Erin, his two sisters Marian and Susan, his two brothers Gerald and Robert, and his two sister in laws, Zoe and Norma.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Preakness Reformed Church Memorial Fund would be appreciated. Donations can be made out to “PRC Memorial Fund” and put Dave’s name in the memo field of your check.  Send them to; Preakness Reformed Church, 131 Church Lane, Wayne, NJ 07470.