Big Catch-up

Wow! I have really been out to lunch. So much has happened! So here is an attempt to catch up: May 7th: John Carnahan died Wednesday, May 7th. He was 96 years old. He and his wife, Mary, were married the same month Shirley and I were married - August, 1955 - but we didn't know them then. We met them in 1973-74 when our daughter, Betsey was in high school with their son, Paul. She dated him for a while, and did a lot of activities with him - esp. debate club. We became good friends with John and Mary and for several years we had a tradition of going to their house on Friday evenings to watch Washington Week in Review. We shared an interest in politics and public affairs, and John, who was a lawyer and judge, was very involved in Democratic Party politics in Vermont. E.g., he ran for the office of Lt. Governor (unsuccessfully). Shirley felt she could share experiences in the Guilford Church with them because they could be trusted to hold information in confidence, and that was a big plus for her emotional health, just to get things off her chest with someone with an objective standpoint. Our families did a lot together down through the years. E.g., we always went to their yard for refreshments after the Brattleboro Fourth of July Parade. After Shirley died, and I met and married Ellen, the friendship continued. A few years ago, John and Mary gave up driving, and in 2021 or 22, they moved to a senior housing unit in Randolph, VT, near their son, Paul. Ellen and I visited them there 2-3 times, but we saw far less of them. More recently, John had to move into nursing care - the same facility but a different building from Mary. Their daughter, Susan Vodrey, has been very good about keeping in touch with us and she sent the news that John had died. Another major loss, another milestone. Rest in Peace, John.

Susan Vodrey, John Carnahan and Mary Carnahan. This. photo was taken at St.Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro just before the Carnahans moved to Randolph. ****************************** I will continue this "catch-up" in subsequent posts.