FARMINGDALE – Carroll Wilfred Grady, 99, of Farmingdale, died peacefully on November 21, 2019, at the VA Togus Springs Hospice after a brief illness.Carroll, “K”, was born on September 12, 1920, in Gardiner, the son of Charles Edward and M. Pearl Clark Grady. Carroll graduated from Gardiner High School in 1938.After meeting on the dance floor at Island Park Pavillon on Cobbosee Lake, Carroll and Helen Day, of Augusta, began a relationship. They married in Alabama, August 18, 1943, as Carroll, U.S. Army, stationed in Tennessee, was preparing to ship off to Scotland and the invasion of Normandy. They were married for 69 years.Carroll, a member of the 4th Infantry Division, was involved with communications and reconnaissance within the 377th Anti Aircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion from 1942-1945. He served under combat conditions in Normandy (Utah Beach), Northern France, The Rhineland, the Ardennes (Hurtgen Forest) and the Battle of Bulge.Carroll enjoyed participating in and following sports throughout his lifetime. He enjoyed winning the 1941 Gardiner City Basketball Championship with his former Gardiner varsity teammates (Mockler’s Texaco), playing in the Island Park softball league and playing golf with Gipp Gregoire and Elgie Day, brothers-in-law. He was a Celtics fan from the Cousy-Russell years through the Bird Era. A lifelong NY Yankees loyalist, the football Giants in the ’50s, to the Patriots for the last 30 years, were must viewing.Carroll was employed as head machinist at Bostonian Shoe Company in Gardiner and retired after 37 years. In 1954, the Gradys built their home at the end of a wooded dirt road in Farmingdale. Many more homes, filled with young families, were soon built in what is now known as Hayford Heights. Carroll and Helen enjoyed their new neighbors and friends of their children, Lynne and Gary.Carroll managed teams for nine years in the Gardiner Little League (Morin Drug) and Gardiner Babe Ruth League (Kennebec Oil). Carroll and Helen were active members of the newly organized Hall-Dale Sports Boosters Club in the mid ’60s. Fueled by huge support and spirit from area football fans (often over 1,000 spectators) the boosters were able to present a banquet complete with team awards and wool 1965 state championship jackets. In the following years, an award dinner for all sports, complete with varsity jackets for first time letter winners, became a tradition for many years. Carroll also served as the booster club treasurer. The Gradys were active members of the Hayford Heights Community Club, helping to expand and maintain the neighborhood “Park”, popular with the area youth. Carroll also assisted in the flooding of Vern Gray’s ice skating rink on cold winter nights. Carroll was from the generation willing to give to his country and community. The Gradys vacationed at Harpswell with many relatives; went camping at Sebago State Park and visited relatives in Florida. In later years Carroll and Helen enjoyed visiting family and friends in Florida and touring Tampa Bay on grandnephew, Kenneth Walters’ pleasure craft.Carroll was a member of the Riverview Congregational Church. He was recently recognized as one of the oldest living members of the Gardiner American Legion, Smith-Wiley Post 4.Carroll was predeceased by his wife, Helen, his parents, brother, Richard, and granddaughter, Katie Sands.Carroll is survived by his daughter, Carolyn Grady Allen and her husband, Bill, of Augusta, son, Gary of Seminole, Florida, granddaughter, Alison Sands McAuliffe and husband Colin, and great-grandsons, Grady McAuliffe and Maxwell McAuliffe of Boxford, Mass., and niece, Kay Judith Grady of N. Billerica, Mass. Also survived by three generations of nieces and nephews. There will be no visiting hours.A service with military honors will be held Tuesday, November 26, at noon at the new Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery Chapel, Mount Vernon Avenue, Augusta, Maine.Carroll’s family sincerely thank the staff at VA Togus Springs Hospice, Julie, 3 North, Pastor Arthur and Cynthia Johnson and Riverview Congregation, Hayford Heights neighbors and home care aides Connie, Pat and Stephanie.Arrangements are in the care of Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, Maine where condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the funeral home website familyfirstfuneralhomes.comIn lieu of flowers, those who wish, may make a donation in Carroll’s memory to the: Kennebec ValleyHumane Society10 Pethaven LaneAugusta, ME 04330

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