Mr. Carroll Lonnie Birge, age 68, a resident of Damascus, Arkansas, and former resident of De Queen, Arkansas, passed away in his sleep at his home Tuesday morning, May 9, 2017.

Carroll was born in De Queen, Arkansas, March 16, 1949 to Coolidge and Verba Lee Smith Birge. He graduated from De Queen High School and from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas. He married Joy Ann Philpot, May 22, 1987 and they have two adult children, Brad and Jill Birge and three grandchildren, Lila Birge, Oliver Birge, and Joseph Birge.

Carroll was an avid water sportsman. He and his brother and sister all learned to swim when they were three years old. Carroll floated white water rivers all across the United States. The Cossatot was always special, flat bottom boats, canoes, and kayaks.

Carroll and his wife, Joy lived in Little Rock for many years where he worked as an accountant for Arkansas Power and Light Company and Telephone Company. After he retired, Carroll and Joy moved to their heavily wooded forty acre area on Cadron Creek. Carroll's wife often said, "Carroll is as happy here as a clam with his chain saw, mountain bike, motorcycle and pick-up truck". Carroll was preceded in death by his father, Coolidge Birge, both sets of grandparents, Mary and Albert Birge and Berta and Maynard Smith, whom he loved dearly, and spent much time with them.

He is survived by his wife, Joy Birge, son, Brad Birge, daughter, Jill Birge, and three grandchildren. He is also survived by his mother, Verba Lee Birge, his sister, Jerri Lynn Birge Rivers, a brother, Dexter, and his wife, Lynda Birge, two brother-in-law, Philip Philpot and Jim Philpot, several nieces, nephews, three aunts, two uncles and many cousins.

Carroll came to know Jesus at an early age and was baptized into First Baptist Church in De Queen. He loved the Lord, his family, home, friends and his dogs, Betty, Missy, and Penny.

Funeral Services for Mr. Carroll Birge will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, May 12, 2017 in the Little Rock Funeral Home, Little Rock, Arkansas. Burial will be at 2:30 P.M. Friday, May 12, 2017 in the Forrest Park Cemetery, Forrest City, Arkansas, under the direction of Little Rock Funeral Home. You may send an online sympathy message at www.chandlerfuneral.com