Leo J. Carville

New York/Texas

On September 12, 2023 at the age of 88, Leo Jerome Carville, (known affectionately by his family as Papa), passed away peacefully in the care of hospice. The son of Thomas J. and Nora Devaney Carville, he was born in Utica, NY, on April 21, 1935.

Anyone who met Leo knew that he had a deep commitment to his Irish heritage, community, faith, and artistic pursuits. In his youth he held the position as first-string quarter back at Utica Free Academy where he met his first wife, Barbara. He remained actively involved there with the community including local politics and as a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. As a successful entrepreneur he owned and operated several small businesses including Carville Construction and ACE Tanning and Machinery. He retired from Commercial Care Services which he owned with his eldest son. As a talented tenor, he was involved in community theatre in Utica and Johnstown, New York as well as in Houston, Texas. There, he met his wife Doris and spent many years entertaining together locally and created multiple single and duet recordings which were and forever will be cherished by both family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his daughter, Sherrie Carville, daughter-in-law, Cynthia Carville, and wife Barbara Carville. He is survived by his wife Doris Vadas; his son Gary Carville and his wife Mary; his son Eric Carville and his wife Tammy; his daughter Susan Lutz and her husband Jeff; his daughter Lisa Kelly and her husband Billy; his step-daughter Jennifer Banks and her husband Paul; and his step-daughter Phyllis Doran. He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren, Gretchen Claus and her husband Albert; Ryan Carville and his wife Zee; Shawn Carville; Evan Carville and his wife Blaire; Casey Carville and her husband Bruno; Jeffrey Lutz and his wife Morgan; Thomas Lutz and his wife Ally; Emily, Sam and Kate Kelly; Nick Banks and his wife Katie; Daniel Mangle and his wife Meagan; along with 11 great grandchildren.

Raised in a very close-knit Irish family, Leo is survived by his brother Freddy Carville and his wife Marlene, Gerald "Dickie" Carville, sister Mandy Huss and her husband John, and Carol Byrne, and sister-in-law Diane Carville. He is pre-deceased by his brothers Edmond, Thomas, Hugh and Jimmy Carville; sisters Joany Carville and Aneita Babicz; sisters-in-laws Jane, Janie, Geraldine and Joan S. Carville and Gail Henry; brothers-in-law Ronald Babicz, Jim Byrne and Sandy Meisner.

Leo, a devout Catholic, was a member of St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Spring, Texas where a celebration of life/memorial mass will be held on October 27th, 2023 at 11:00 am. His final internment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica, New York in the summer of 2024.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution in Leo's memory may be made to Vitas Hospice Care; https://vitascommunityconnection.org/

or St. Jude's; https://www.stjude.org/