Carroll Dean Jungel, slipped away at 0600 January 1, 2025, age 81. He was born at the former Asbury Hospital, Salina, now known as Salina Regional Health Center, to Mabel M. (Jorg) and Roy D. Jungel on December 30, 1943.
Carroll grew up in the New Cambria area and remembers the many times that Salina Police Chief John Woody would come out to the farm to go “noodling” (catfishing with his hand) on the river, only to bring it back to Mabel for cooking up, getting a good breakfast, then going on his way to work.
He attended a one-room schoolhouse until high school and graduated from Solomon High in 1962. He attended Kansas State for one year, then set his sights on Fort Hays State, graduating with a BS in agriculture.
While in college, the nation was drafting men for Viet Nam. Never one to have someone else make a life-time decision for him, he went to the USAF Recruiting Office, explained his desire to finish what he started at college, and signed up. The RO took his enlistment papers and “conveniently” filed the paperwork away until graduation.
Carroll was in Topeka, assigned there when the tornado went through in 1966. Then off to Del Ray, Texas for Flight school. After training on various fighter jets, Carroll was finally designated to fly C-130s in Taiwan. He moved Helen and his daughter Stacey over and recalled often how he appreciated the lush landscape of Taiwan, the broad-leaf plants and vegetation that grew wild, so different from the plains of Kansas. He flew 100 missions in “his” C-130. He was proud to serve his nation, even if he did not agree with the politicians at the time. He followed his orders.
After Taiwan, he was based in Biloxi, Mississippi, often boating from his home to his base across the harbor. After ten years, he left the service for a new direction in his life’s journey. In 1977, he joined General Foods and became a supervisor in the dog-food plant. When he met his second wife in December 1979, their second date was in his Fire-red two-seater Grumman. Planes and flying remained a highlight of enjoyment. Soon after he married Karilea in 1980, GF plucked him out of food management to run a truck fleet, transferring the family to Battle Creek, Michigan in August 1980. He went through other transfers, ending up Modesto, California, home state of his wife, which allowed him to get the children down to their grandparents’ home for many visits. While there, he purchased a Cessna, and often flew friends and family around the state. He also loved to get in the RV and go camping.
In 1989, during a mass forced retirement, employees were given “golden parachutes,” based on each year of employment. He attempted to find a new position in Modesto and surrounding areas, but it was obvious to him that the only sane answer was to come home to Kansas where he could care for his mother and start fresh.
In 1990, Carroll purchased 38 heifers and engaged in a cow-calf operation which the whole family enjoyed. It was good labor, with many hilarious incidents. But the cows did not fill his day, so he found additional part-time work, his favorite time being at K-State, Salina, moving aircraft to and from the hanger to the taxiway for the college kids during hands-on training sessions. In 2000, Carroll sold the cowherd due to “not feeling right.” Later, he survived two different cancers, one in 2001 and then in 2010, after which he was diagnosed with Parkinsons’. He tried not to let the disease sideline him and took Karilea on several cruises and auto trips. But by 2017, he realized his traveling days had ended.
Carroll’s passions were real and model planes, flying, air shows at Oshkosh and various other locations, EAA, RV camping trips, boating, country music, his many dogs over time, and he thoroughly enjoyed the news, always wanting to know what the world was up to, and there were always discussions on various cultures, traditions, policies and politics.
Carroll was preceded in death by his parents, Roy, and Mabel. He leaves behind his wife of 44 years, Karilea, his daughters Stacey (Jeff) Seibel, Kathryn (Michael) Gibson, and Krystal (Cory) Zeferjahn, his grandchildren Morgan, Christopher, Michael, Lauren, Emily, Grant and Jessica, and his great-grandchildren, Aliana, Adalyn, and Wesley.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services on January 24, 2005, beginning at 10 a.m. at First Covenant Church, Salina, followed by a Celebration of Life service, with committal at Highland Cemetery, New Cambria. A luncheon will be provided at Martinelli’s, downtown Salina.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tunnel to Towers, Wounded Warriors, Good Shepherd Hospice of Salina, or your local animal shelter, in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 S. 8th Street, Salina, KS, 67401.