Obituary of Joel L. Carr

April 7, 2025

Joel L. Carr, 85, passed away at his home in New York City on April 7th, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. Joel was born in Oklahoma, on August 2, 1939 to William D. and Velma Carr. He was predeceased by his brother, Bill Carr, of Anniston, Alabama, his best friend and travel companion of almost sixty years, Dr. George F. Gray of Nashville, and beloved cousins Betty Young of Tulsa, Peggy Person of Austin, and Billie Mook of Tulsa.

In the 1960s, soon after graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Joel embarked on a lifelong career in math education, teaching briefly in California and then settling permanently in New York City, where he taught at the Rhodes School (1966-1981) and then until his retirement, at the Dalton School (1981-2005).  He was much loved by students and colleagues alike. When out in the city with Joel, it was commonplace to encounter former students sharing stories of his guidance through high school math, with particular warmth from those who found the subject most confounding.  He was known for his ability to impart a sense of confidence and courage, even comfort, and his students often expressed profound gratitude for the influence he had on their paths toward future success.

In addition to the thousands of students whose lives he touched, Joel’s other lasting legacy is the thriving community he built over fifty years as an energetic and generous figure of West 69th St and the Lincoln Center neighborhood in the Upper West Side. Neighbors knew and loved him for the camaraderie he created, leading a wide array of community events for the 69th street Block Association.

Beyond his reputation as a devoted teacher, neighbor, and friend, Joel was well known for his deep love of animals, his passion for classical music, especially bel canto opera, and his delight in travel, and he filled his life with these joys until the very end. Joel cherished happy memories of so many performances around the world by his friend and soprano singer, Beverly Sills, and his companionship with her daughter, Meredith “Muffy” Greenough, both of whom predeceased him.

Joel is mourned by several cousins, including Beth Howard, Amy Person, Kathleen Person, Karen Brown Field, and Cait O’Darling, by his dear friends who were honored to care for him in his final months, Sharyn Wolf,  Karen Luten, and Elizabeth Styron and Carl Daucher (and their sons Edmund, Lloyd and Harald, whom Joel loved like grandchildren), and by his beloved pets, Agnes and April.

To share tributes or condolences, please contact: styron@gmail.com

Donations in Joel’s memory may be made to:

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  Central Park Conservancy https://secure.centralparknyc.org/site/Donation

  
  


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  WNET (Thirteen) https://give.thirteen.org

  
  


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  Wild Bird Fund https://wbf.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/wbf/donation.jsp