You probably heard of Steve Carell, an American actor and comedian whose net worth exceeds $80 million.
The man’s known to be dedicated to acting so much that he actually had his chest hair waxed for real in 2005’s The 40-Year-Old Virgin. You may also recognize him from his role in The Office, which aired from 2005 until 2013.
However, most people don’t know much about his father, Edwin A. Carell. I highly doubt The Office would have been as successful if Steve Carell weren’t there, which somewhat means that we indirectly owe a good amount of laughter to Edwin Carell.
So, who was he?
Early Life
Edwin A. Carell was born to Ernesto Caroselli and Marie Egle on September 28, 1925, in Jersey City, New Jersey, as Edwin Caroselli.
Those of you who are familiar with The Great Depression will know that growing up during that stage of life was nowhere near easy because of the global economic depression.
Needless to say, hard work was the name of the game at the time, and Edwin was all about it. He even decided to change the family name from Caroselli to Carell in the 1950s to be more assimilated into American society; yes, that was a thing back in the day.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves with that highlight, as a lot happened before the name change.
At the age of 19, Edwin enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. He was assigned to the 7th Army, 100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment, where he fought in a mortar squad during campaigns in northern France and Germany.
His bravery earned him two of the military’s highest honors: the Bronze Star for heroic achievement and the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in battle.
Education & Career
Once the war ended, Edwin came back with a new sense of purpose and appreciation of life. He pursued higher education with determination by attending and graduating from the Newark College of Engineering at Syracuse University.
His mechanical engineering degree helped him work for 28 years in the field at Lytron Inc., specializing in cooling systems and mechanical design.
Personal Life
In 1951, Edwin married Harriet Theresa Koch, a psychiatric nurse whose warmth and intelligence complemented his quiet strength.
This was his one and only marriage, which lasted an impressive 65 years until her passing in 2016. Together, they raised four sons: Timothy, Michael, Gregory, and Steven (Steve Carell).
Steve Carell often recalled his father’s devotion, noting that his parents were “down-to-earth, kind, smart, generous people” who valued family above all else.
Despite their career paths diverging significantly, it was obvious that Steve shared a special bond with his father.
He frequently acknowledged his father’s role in shaping his character, describing him as a steady and supportive presence who never pressured him to conform to traditional expectations, which was really a thing at the time.
When Steve won a Golden Globe Award in 2006 for his role in The Office, he publicly thanked his parents for not forcing him to go to law school. Edwin’s reaction to his son’s success was one of uncontainable joy; he “almost went through the ceiling” with excitement. What a father, to be honest, what a father.
Retirement and Later Years
After retiring from Lytron Inc., Edwin and Harriet moved to The Villages, a peaceful retirement community in Florida. I like to think that they enjoyed a well-deserved respite from decades of hard work, at least until Hariet left us in 2016.
It only took Edwin 5 years to catch up with his late wife, when he passed away peacefully of natural causes on March 3, 2021, at the impressive age of 95.
His funeral service was held at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Acton, Massachusetts, where family and friends gathered to honor a life well-lived.
It’s not unusual for me to mention the Net Worth in my work, but there’s little to be told about Edwin in that regard. The man’s legacy wasn’t measured in material wealth, but in the value he instilled in his family. I mean, how many celebrities nowadays can keep a marriage for 65 years?
May they all rest in peace.
Featured image source: Google
