FORT COLLINS – Jillian Louise Carroll, 42, passed away unexpectedly on the morning of March 28, 2024, at her home in Fort Collins, Colo. She was preparing to visit family in Texas for the Easter holiday when she succumbed to a systemic bacterial infection associated with a previous injury to her hand.
Jillian was born in Waterbury, Conn., on July 16, 1981, to Mary Lou McGrath Hawk and the late David M Carroll. She grew up in Northfield, Conn., surrounded by her close siblings, older brother, David and younger sister, Julie. The family was later joined by Jillian’s loving stepfather John Hawk, as well as stepbrothers, Andrew, William and Robert Hawk. Together, the family would complete what could only be called a modern day Brady Bunch.
Jillian graduated from Litchfield High School and went on to attend Roger Williams University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and developed countless lifelong friendships. She earned a Master of Science in mental health counseling from Suffolk University and embarked on a distinguished career as a caregiver through her selfless work as a licensed professional counselor.
Intelligent and studious, she was the recipient of multiple academic scholarships and spent a semester of undergraduate work studying in Florence, Italy. A wanderlust for life, Jill spent most of early adulthood globe-trotting around the world. Jill loved traveling and immersing herself in various cultures.
During her early professional career Jillian served the at-risk youth community of South Boston before moving back to Connecticut where she would serve as the Program Director of the New Haven Family Support Center at St. Francis Home For Children.
Looking for a change in scenery, Jillian gave into her sister Julie’s prompting, and moved to Fort Collins, Colorado. While in Fort Collins, she took on the role of Executive Director of Voices Carry Child Advocacy Center while working part-time at various behavioral crisis centers.
Shortly after moving to Colorado, Jill met her partner, Tom Howell, and with him welcomed the greatest joys of her life, son Harlan (6) and daughter Vivian (3) into the world.
In an attempt to rank time with her children, Jillian established her own private behavioral telehealth service and worked remotely. Due to the responsibilities of motherhood, Jill was unable to travel as much later in life, but through her private practice work, she continued to touch the lives of people from all over the world.
Jillian was a voracious reader and lover of the arts. In recent years, her trusted friend Mike Magan assisted her in becoming a fervent opera enthusiast. She always enjoyed a good storyline, especially if it was amplified with the human characteristics of fear, joy, relationships, laughter, sorrows and passion.
It’s difficult to pare down the life of a person like Jillian and what she meant to those that loved her. Jill embraced life with a rare combination of compassion, kindness, and deep generosity. She carried a badge of bravery and great strength. She was a healer who saw the best in everyone and believed in the beauty of the world.
Jill was a light whose fire made the world a brighter place. She loved and laughed fiercely with tenaciously while celebrating the very best in every human she encountered. She dedicated her life to making it a brighter and better place. Whether by offering food, shelter, wisdom, or her vibrant and caring smile, Jill shared everything she had graciously.
Jill leaves an enduring legacy of nurturing others with the deepest of empathy, and the encouragement to find the light in any situation. By her family and friends, her partner and children, she was loved beyond measure and the loss of her life is unimaginably profound.
In addition to her loving partner Tom and her two small children, Jill is survived by her mother Mary Lou and her stepfather John Hawk; her brother David Carroll and his wife, Marie, and their children Connor and Declan; her sister Julie Carroll and her husband Corbin Parciany, and their children, Weston and Rylan; brother Rob Hawk and his wife Juliann, and their daughter Jessica; brother William Hawk and his daughter Faith; and brother Andrew Hawk and his girlfriend Kathryn. She leaves many cousins, extended family members, and a long list of dearly treasured friends.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 12, at Thurston Rowe Funeral Home, 283 Torrington Road in Litchfield, with a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 49 South Street in Litchfield on Saturday, April 13, at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at the Northfield Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the fund set up to support Jill’s beloved children, Harlan and Vivian, while they adjust to life without their mother: gofundme.com/f/harlan-vivians-support-fund (or search for Jillian Carroll).
To send the family an online condolence, please visit thurstonrowefuneralhome.com.
