Joseph Carolan, 87; First Newport Beach School Crossing Guard

NEWPORT BEACH —  Joseph Carolan, Newport Beach’s first traffic crossing guard, died Aug. 23 of pneumonia. He was 87.

A gray-haired, elegant man with an English accent, Carolan manned the corner of Dover and Mariners streets for 24 years, ensuring that students at Mariners Elementary School arrived safely for class. He was a familiar sight in his fluorescent-orange guard jacket and white cap.

Carolan joined the Newport Beach police force in 1966 when he heard the department was recruiting traffic guards, said Mary Carolan, his daughter-in-law. He had been bored after a year of retirement from an aerospace company and decided that he wanted to work with children. He was assigned to Mariners Elementary School, where he served until he became ill in June.

Carolan was a native of London. He immigrated after World War II. Children at Mariners school were fascinated by his accent and enjoyed hearing him talk.

Over the years, Carolan received many awards, including an Orange County Department of Education award for outstanding contribution to education. He served as grand marshal for the 1980 Newport Beach Fourth of July parade.

On Monday, Carolan was given a full Newport Beach police funeral escort and his badge was retired by the department.

He is survived by two children, Robert and Shirley Carolan; three brothers; a sister and a grandson. The family requests that donations be made to Mariners Elementary School.