Carroll B. Williams, Jr.

September 24, 1929 - March 1, 2024

Carroll Burns Williams Jr. passed away peacefully on March 1, 2024. He was 94 years old. A pioneer in environmental sciences, Carroll was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in forestry and entomology, and the first African American scientist hired by the U.S. Forest Service, as well as the forestry faculties at Yale and UC Berkeley.

After graduating at the top of his high school class, Carroll attended the University of Michigan. His studies were interrupted by the Korean War, where he served in the Marine Corps.

He was a survivor of the Battle for “Outpost Vegas,” one of the bloodiest encounters during the war. Out of three hundred troops or more, Carroll was one of approximately eleven soldiers to “walk off the hill” when reinforcements finally arrived. After the war, he returned to college on the G.I. Bill.

As both of his parents attended college, Carroll valued the importance of a solid education. In 1977, he was elected to the School Board of the Berkeley Unified School District, running a campaign emphasizing “back to basics,” and in 1979, he was overwhelmingly elected as the Board’s President. After retiring from the Forest Service, Carroll joined the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley, teaching courses in forestry and entomology. He served on the Board of the East Bay Regional Parks and was a member of the National Science Foundation, the Urban League Black Executives Exchange, and was a youth counselor for the NAACP.

Throughout his life, Carroll was known for his booming “Marine Corp Sergeant voice,” his Boy Scout sense of commitment, and his desire to be of service. He was beloved for his sense of humor, wise counsel, and enthusiasm. He was an active member of the Berkeley Rotary Club and a “familiar face” at the Berkeley YMCA, where he worked out into his late 80s. Carroll was an ardent fan of University of Michigan football and was pleased to see the Wolverines win the 2024 College Championship only weeks before he passed. He also enjoyed deep sea fishing, Star Trek, and Clint Eastwood movies. Inspired by uncles who served with the 10th Cavalry “Buffalo Soldiers,” Carroll meticulously researched his ancestry on the western frontier, discovering family connections to the Osage tribe and Nicodemus, Kansas, a freedom town established by ex-slaves in 1877.

Carroll is survived by his children, Robin, Maiya, and Blake; son-in-law, Patric; stepchildren, Malana, Rasaan, and Irene; grandchildren, Ripley, Patric, Deckard, Marianne (Mars), Neo, Teddy, James, and Camille; and three ex-wives.