Thinking of you, Dad, on your anniversary. You gave your family all our treasured memories of the past. You gave us the character and values we exude in our present days. And you imbued us with purpose to follow your example into the future. Love you to the moon and back...

"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I aim with my eye." Stephen King, The Dark Tower

Julie - we are saddened to realize the passing of your dad. He was always smiling, saying hi when we rode bikes past the house, and “liking” our family posts on fb. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Xoxo
Kristi & Matt Chatfield

I have several lasting memories of my Uncle Bill. They are early memories, mostly from their old house. I remember listening to music in his living room, and he and my Dad recording albums onto reel-to-reel tape. 4th of July firecrackers in his backyard – as a young pyromaniac, I loved how much he enjoyed them, too. His fascination with Peanuts characters - and his kindness and joy to be able to share them in the form of hand-made Christmas ornaments, or a larger than life snow sculpture. And his laugh - unrestricted and playful. I think from all that I learned to not take yourself too seriously, enjoy the small moments in life, share your joys and passions, and despite the ironies and injustices, continue to love life. All my best to my fantastic Aunt Carol, and my fun-loving cousins Julie, Paul, & Jennie. –Brian

Janet and I have fond memories of good times spent with our brother-in-law Bill. In addition to family gatherings , we remember a wonderful week of skiing in New Hampshire, many vacations together at Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks, a vacation in Canada and our many double dates over the years. We always enjoyed stimulating discussions with Bill about politics, religion and current events. Of course, there really wasn't a lot of debate as we pretty much were in agreement about these matters.
Bill suffered a great deal with physical ailments in the last year or so of his life and was prepared to meet his fate. Now he can be at peace in God's arms.  We will miss him.
Bob and Janet Wood

Friends & Family, please join us remotely for the Memorial Service of William Robert Carreo on Monday March 1st, 2021 at 10AM EST. You may Live Stream the service at https://www.holytrinityweb.com/media.php

We have restricted in-person attendance, but if you are interested to attend or to hear other tribute options, please contact us here or write Paul at pcarreo@gmail.com

Just this last summer Uncle Bill stopped by a little gathering (outside, distanced!). He waited for a quiet in conversation and said “Does anyone here practice mindfulness?” This embodied a few ways I think of Uncle Bill. He would always just pop over to the house (or just the yard this year) and chat a bit and leave a short while later. He liked being a conversation starter (Mindfulness. Discuss!). And he liked discussing spirituality related and other “deep” topics. It will be very strange and sad indeed to not see him pop by now.

And what a yard he created- So beautiful! I remember eating mint leaves from those gardens when I was a kid. 

Carol and family.
I want to express our condolences over your loss.
We lived next door to the Carreos on Chandler Street back in the 50' and 60's.
We always enjoyed our friendship with them all.
When I was young, maybe 10, I remember Bill had a very early model Corvette. Pretty neat.
Bill also had a bb pistol and target and once in a while he would bring it out and we would shoot it.
I remember him carefully showing me how it worked so I didn't hurt myself.

In looking at the photos it's easy to see he led a wonderfully happy and loving life.

Once again, our condolences.
John, Jillian and David Welch

I was saddened to read about Bill's passing and extend my heartfelt condolences to Carol and family. Bill was a big part of Larry's DSS-life and beyond. I have pictures in my mind of Bill and the administrative crew playing basket ball for some fund raiser. They all were being kids again, I think. [The actual photos of that are here somewhere!] Of course, Bill, being a groomsman in our wedding was memorable as well and Larry would be amongst Bill's many admirers to say he will surely be missed by family and friends.

My fondest memory of Mr Carreo is of a man who abhorred silence. He would come and visit Paul and I while we were roommates in Arlington. I would wake up in the morning to have my breakfast. I'd say "good morning" and then sit and watch TV -- secretly playing game in my head counting the seconds to see how long it took him to break the silence. I can't pinpoint exactly what the specific cues were, but his body language SCREAMED: "I need to say things to you!".

Sometimes, There were multiple intakes of breath as he started to say something, but then opted not to -- suspecting, I think, that I wanted my quiet time. Eventually, he couldn't hold it in any longer and the conversation just burst out! "What are you watching on TV Ed? Oh, that looks interesting. What are you planning to do today? Oh, grabbing lunch? Where at? Oh, that sounds interesting, what type of food do they serve there? Are you going to walk there? Or take your bicycle? ..."

Other times, he just pulled out a newspaper (he ALWAYS had one!) and started reading headlines. It took me a while to figure out that he wasn't necessarily reading the newspaper to me... it was more of a fishing expedition. If I simply didn't respond, he would just keep reading headlines and adding commentary -- waiting for someone to engage. And once someone engaged... he pounced.

He'll be dearly missed.

(On behalf of Jane Lynch from Legacy.com, February 16, 2021)

Bill was a great promoter of social equity. I worked for him in the 80's . He was a brilliant and strategic manager and I developed my skills under his watchful eye. In the late 80's, under welfare reform, he helped implement an alternative to welfare, which received a Harvard Innovations In Government award. I owe my successful career to learning from Bill. May he be in peace now.
Jane Lynch
Coworker

Carol
So sorry to hear about Bill’s passing. We were the Welch family next door to Aggie’s. I remember Bill and Kathy so well. They were a big part of my childhood. I still remember hanging out in the back yards on Chandler St.
My prayers for you and your family
Sincerely
Janet (Welch) Dill

To Bill's family I offer my sincere prayers as you mourn his loss. I was a classmate at St. Bernard's Seminary and enjoyed his friendship and laughs we had. I was assigned to Holy Trinity in Webster in1969-75 and then 2003-11 when I retired as pastor. In those times I would run into him with some regularity. He was always an engaging conversationalist and witty. Keep smiling as you remember h

Please find also Dad's obituary that ran today on the Rochester D&C. Please in lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to make a donation to Action for a Better Community or St. Jude's linked above.*

https://obits.democratandchronicle.com/obituaries/democratandchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=william-robert-carreo&pid=197755357

*or homemade pizzas or gin martinis... of a 1950's corvette, if you really knew Dad ;) 

Sorry to hear of his passing . Fun memories of riding with Bill in his 1950's era Corvette through the country roads of Orleans county and joining U. Dean in homemade pizza deliveries to Bill at St Bernard's.

I was stunned earlier today then, greatly saddened to learn of Bill's passing. My sincere condolences to Carol and his children Julie, Paul, and Jennie and their families at this difficult time.

Bill and I met in grammar school and became fast friends during our time at St Monica School and then St. Andrew's Seminary. We "free ranged" the neighborhood on foot then the 19 ward on bikes and greater Rochester area with cars! The library on Arnet Blvd was a favorite haunt and Bill introduced me to humorous series of books that I still remember. We were frequent visitors.

Genesee Valley Parks - both east and west of the river watching baseball, playing on the merry-go- round, the shelters and as we got older cannoeing on    River and on occasion going up Red creek "exploring its farther reaches. We sometimes deliberately overturned the canoe - just because we could! Hamlin Beach was also attractive both for the beach and the bonfires that we had there.

1953 was a banner years. We graduated from St. Monica and and 2-3 of our classmates made the same decision to transition to St. Andrew's Seminary. Mind you, we HAD to wear black/dark blue suits, white shirts and tie to school and take 2 buses to get to the seminary's location, somewhat remote at that time.Getting home was equally tedious!

It was a rigorous curriculum but there were hilarious side events. There was a pig farm adjacent to the seminary and during a break for lunch and a chance to exercise outside so we would race to the back "lawn" - several acres of grass. We played football, keep-away etc. Some of the students thought it would be great sport and challenge to "ride" the large, adult pigs. It was crazy, probably stupid but hilarious. I don't think Bill or I rose to the challenge but it was certainly entertaining. REMEMBER, we were still teenagers. The suits etc took a serious beating.

I left the seminary in 1957 but Bill continued on with a pretty serious focus. Humorously, I had decided that I wanted women to play a greater part in my life. Bill took a bit longer to arrive at that decision.

I married Lucy Knefley (who I had met through a friend at St. John Fisher College) in 1962. Bill and Don Dowling (both still seminarians) were the altar servers at our wedding. For that I was very grateful.

We lost contact for many years (limited internet and no social media) but the advent of Facebook allowed us to reconnect. Visits to Rochester were few and far between but about 8-9 years ago Bill and I had the chance to visit for the better part of a morning and afternoon. We really reconnected.We visited some of our old haunts, walked along Lake Ontario one of our favorites.

In our conversations I learned much more of what Bill had accomplished personally, family and career wise and both was impressed and proud to have had him as best friend. In today's lingo BFF. His accomplishments for the community and the marginalized are like a bell that rings forever!

I had the privilege of meeting Bill and Carol when I taught their three children at Holy Trinity School. Bill's warmth, friendliness, and genuine caring always shone through. My condolences to Carol, Julie, Paul, and Jennie upon the loss of your husband and father, a man who was in love with life and his family. All of you will be in my prayers.
Sharon Fear Ambrose

Your candle stays lit through all you have imparted upon me. Thank you for the kindness. Thank you for the wisdom. Thank you for the laughs. Rest in peace my friend!