Carrol was born on April 5, 1941 at Exeter Hospital in Tulare County to Samuel Roy Phillips and Golda Bethel Blansett. During the first few years of her life, she lived in farm labor camps in Tulare County where her parents worked.

Eventually, Samuel and Golda bought a farm, then built a small grocery store on the corner of Alta and Dinuba avenues. A few years later, they built a restaurant, the Midway Drive-In, across the street. Carrol attended Smith Mountain School and Reedley High School. During her school years, she worked as a car hop at the drive-in. After high school, Carrol went to Reedley College, where she attained her AA degree.

She met her future husband, Luther, while cruising the streets of downtown Dinuba one night with some friends. After a brief romance, they eloped. They were married on May 8, 1960 at the Park Wedding Chapel in Reno, Nevada.

Carrol gave birth to a son, Jim Kent Hunnicutt, on February 28, 1961 and to a daughter, Lana Diane Rimio, on March 8, 1962.

Carrol held many jobs including as a bank teller, salesperson for Designer Fabrics and Steinmart, and as a shopper for Gottschalks.

Throughout her life, Carrol was very artistic. She painted and created glass mosaics. She was an excellent seamstress who sewed clothes for her children and won several awards. And later in life, she took up china painting, creating beautiful items for family and friends.

She passed away on September 5, 2026 in Clovis at the age of 85.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Luther, who passed away in 2017. In addition to her children, she is survived by three grandchildren: Christina Rimio, Samuel Hunnicutt and Joseph Hunnicutt.