William Maxwell (Billy) Carroll was born in Camilla, Georgia.  He was the son of the late Horace Carroll of Atlanta, Georgia, and the late Thelma Jester Carroll White of Albany, Georgia.  He received his early education in the public schools of Atlanta, Camilla and Moultrie, Georgia.  After graduating from high school, he attended Agricultural and Technical College of Greensboro, North Carolina and majored in Business Administration.  He later transferred to the Atlanta College of Mortuary Science where he graduated and returned to Camilla to operate Robert Jester Mortuary, a family-owned business.

Billy served on two different boards under two different Governors which included the Georgia State Commissioners of Indian Affairs under Governor George Busbee and the Board of QBE (Quality Basic Education) under Governor Joe Frank Harris.  He served on the City Zoning Board, Mitchell County Hospital Endowment Board, Member of the Chamber, Kiwanis Club, NAACP and the Boys and Girls Club, 100 Black Men, Inc. and Archbold Hospital Authority Board.  Billy was the first African American to run for City Commissioner in Camilla, Georgia.

Billy was the operator and owner of the Robert Jester Mortuary, Inc.  He was a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, and was a member of GFSPA and the 4th District GFSPA.  He was also a Past President of Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association, Inc. (1982-1984).  Billy was elected 4th District "Mortician of the Year" in 1972, and "Mortician of the Year" by his fraternity, Alpha Gamma Chapter of Epsilon Nu Delta Fraternity, Inc. in 1988.  This award was presented in St. Augustine, Florida.

Billy has received many awards.  Some include Living Historian Award in 2009, Certificate of Appreciation from Southern Poverty Law Center, honorary State Trooper, honorary Sheriff,  Great Man Award in 2017 and many others.  In 2018, Robert Jester Mortuary was presented by the African Funeral Service History Museum as a nominee with the Georgia Hall of Fame.

He was an active member of St. Peter African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he served on the Steward and Trustee Boards, the Sons of Allen and the Lay Department.  He also served as chairperson of the Building Fund.

Billy was preceded in death by his grandparents, Robert Dan Jester and Estell Jester, who founded the Robert Jester Mortuary, Inc. 97 years ago; his parents, Horace Carroll and Thelma White; an aunt, Mary Jester Follings; a brother, Hugh Carroll; and a sister, Rebecca Hudson.

Surrounded by his loving family, Billy departed this life peacefully on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at his residence.

He was united in marriage to Naomi Anderson Carroll and they were the proud parents of two children, William Carroll, Jr. and Binai English, who survives.

He is also survived by a son, Victor Carroll; five grandchildren, Jaburah English, Saza English, Aviel English, Aston Bryant, and Keondrea (Chris) Whitlock; one step-sister, Linda W. Cochran; a brother/cousin, Jerome Jester; a son-in-law, Torrey English; two sisters-in-law, Thomasine Dye and Sherrye Montgomery; five nieces; six nephews; four great nieces and nephews; many cousins; friends; a loyal caregiver, Mary Ross; and his dedicated staff.