With the frosty sound of snow beneath feet in 18 degrees of Vermont cold, three state representatives from Brattleboro met on the steps of the State House last Wednesday to honor John and Mary Carnahan for 64 years of service to community.
John Carnahan, 93, arrived in town in 1957 as a Harvard educated lawyer, joining the Fitts and Olson Law Office. From 1958 to 1961, Carnahan served as a staffer for William Meyer, who served in Congress for one term.
The Kennedy administration appointed him assistant U.S. district attorney in Rutland in 1961, and he worked in that role until 1965, when he and his family returned to Brattleboro.
He once again practiced law, this time with the firm of Kristensen, Cummings, and Price. He then served as a Vermont district judge from 1967 to 1973.
With a reputation for civic duty, Carnahan also managed to serve the public good in many other ways.
He was a trustee and board chair of the Brattleboro Retreat, a founder of the Brattleboro Historical Society in 1982, and a trustee of the Estey Organ Museum.
He served on the National Democratic Committee and ran for lieutenant governor in 1984.
He's given guided tours of Brattleboro buildings to groups, pointing out their respective unique architectural features. He created a group, Friends of the Vermont State House, in 1981.
As a fan of state capitol buildings, he has collected historical items commemorating the seat of the state government and followed that with an album of postcards, one for each of the 50 state capitols.
For her part, Mary Carnahan, 90, taught kindergarten in Dummerston schools from 1971 to 1993. She has volunteered for the Brooks Memorial Library, the Red Cross, the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, and St. Michael's Episcopal Church.
A frigid salute
State Curator David Schutz welcomed the small, hearty group of Vermonters to celebrate John and Mary Carnahan's many achievements in Brattleboro and beyond. Due to COVID-19, the celebration remained outside of the building on the capitol steps.
“We welcome everyone on this grand occasion, as we honor the Carnahans of Brattleboro for years and years and years of faithful service, to the history of their community, and the entire state of Vermont,” he said from behind the lectern.
After some brief remarks, mentioning some of the many accomplishments of the Carnahans, Schutz passed the baton to Brattleboro District 2 Rep. Mollie Burke.
“It is a great honor to be here to present this resolution,” Burke said. “We couldn't possibly capture all that you two have done in this resolution. Thank you so much for everything you've done for not only the town of Brattleboro, but also for the state of Vermont.”
Burke and the two other Brattleboro state representatives - Tristan Toleno (District 3) and Emilie Kornheiser (District 1) - flanked Schutz as Toleno read House Concurrent Resolution 84, “honoring the civic contributions of John H. and Mary F. Carnahan to the community life of Brattleboro.”
In addition to the three representatives, the HCR was sponsored by both Windham County senators, Jeanette White and Becca Balint.
The resolution text solemnly itemizes the Carnahans' numerous contributions to Brattleboro area work, society, civic life, and politics.
“Whereas John and Mary Carnahan have been recognized for their community leadership in Brattleboro, now therefore be it [r]esolved by the Senate and House of Representatives: That the General Assembly honors the civic contributions of John H. and Mary F. Carnahan to the community life of Brattleboro,” Toleno read.
“And be it further [r]esolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to John and Mary Carnahan,” he continued.
The resolution was signed by the Speaker of the House, Jill Krowinski, Molly Gray, President of the Senate and BetsyAnn Wrask, Clerk, House of Representatives.
One of the people who came to see the couple honored was Bill Holiday, a trustee of the Brattleboro Historical Society and a retired Brattleboro Union High School history teacher, who offered some remarks.
“Several months ago, after John retired from the Brattleboro Historical Society, our group was looking for a way to honor the Carnahans,” Holiday told The Commons recently. “Members of the society hit upon this idea of asking our state representatives to lend us a hand in doing so.”
“John and Mary, quiet servants for so many years, were characteristically humble at the presentation, and both were very thankful,” he said.
“The Carnahans have done so much for so long, it's hard to list everything they have accomplished for so many,” added Holiday, who drove the couple to the event.
Burke agreed.
“It is a great honor to be here to present this,” she said in her remarks to the Carnahans and the crowd. “You have done so much in our town, it could not be captured in a resolution,” she added, noting that the space limitations of the resolution reduced two lifetimes of accomplishments to “snippets.”
“Thank you so much for everything you've done for the town and for the state,” Burke said.
David Schutz concurred. “The people of Brattleboro have a lot to thank the Carnahans - both of them - for,” he said as he introduced Burke, Toleno, and Kornheiser.
Two copies of the resolutions, with framing contributed by Zephyr Designs of Brattleboro, were presented to the grateful couple and the historical society.
And Burke noted ruefully but warmly that, were it not for the pandemic, “of course, we would have done this inside.”
“The resolution would have been read by the clerk, you would have been introduced, people would have stood up and clapped and all that,” she added.
But, looking around at the ice-cold state capitol, “this is also really pretty,” she observed with a laugh, shared by the participants of the ceremony.
“Thank you so much - this is such an honor,” Mary Carnahan said. “We both thank you.”