Final answer:
Sir John Colleton was appointed as the first official proprietary governor of the Carolina colony but passed away in 1666 before he could take office.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual in question who was appointed as the first official proprietary governor but died before he could take office was Sir John Colleton.
He was one of the Lords Proprietors of the Carolina colony, who had been rewarded for their loyalty to the monarchy during the English Civil War.
Unfortunately, Sir John Colleton passed away in 1666 before seeing a permanent colony established in Carolina. This left the job of leading the nascent colony to others among the proprietors and the leadership they appointed.