Farrell J. Carney (1954-2011)

Farrell J. Carney (24 May 1954 - 11 May 2011) born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland; died in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland.

I'm assuming this is the same guy. He was from Elphin, Ireland. A friend, co-worker, fellow drinker. In fact, I tell people he taught me how to really drink. He once jumped from a perfectly good airplane with a parachute on, tried to kill himself in the fall, and broke a leg — much complicating his job as construction supervisor (with me being one of the supervised, and his driver).

We managed a sort of boarding house together my junior year in college. He owed me money much of the time. A fellow boarder, Sean, was drinking himself blind drunk, falling down stairs and not remembering it. I would go in and find his bottle of vodka and toss it out.

When I encountered Sean a few years later, in the same city but sober, he told me the last time he'd run into Farrell he'd asked how Sean got sober (as if recognizing the need for it himself).

County Roscommon, Ireland

Jean S. Charles (1939-2017)

Jean S. Charles, age 78, of Lyndonville, formerly of Williston, Vt., passed away at his home from an apparent heart attack on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017.

Jean was born on Jan. 25, 1939, in Petionville (Port-au-Prince), Haiti. He was the eldest son of the late Sterne and Yvonne Charles (née Dumornay). He completed his high school studies at Collège Saint Martial in Port-au-Prince, obtaining his Baccalaureate at the Center of Collegial Studies. He then emigrated with his parents to the United States in the early 1960s, and obtained his diploma in Electronic Engineering. Answering the call of the draft, he served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in Germany, during the era of the Vietnam War. He then married his first wife, Dr. Jacqueline Sévère. After a brief time in Québec (Canada), where his wife completed her medical residency, Jean returned to the United States. Divorced, he married his second wife, Judy Plantin, in New York. Jean and his family then moved to Williston, Vermont, where he worked as an Electronics Engineer for IBM, patenting computer chip creation techniques on their behalf from the 1980s until his retirement. He then moved to Lyndonville, Vt. in 2000. To pass the time, empassioned by music, he opened a small repair shop to fix electronic organs and pianos.

A man of many talents, Jean was a black belt Martial Artist, who also enjoyed playing and teaching classical guitar at Lyndon State College. He shared his passion for the guitar with his cousin Alix “Tite” Pascal. He also shared his love of this with the communities of Vermont, playing in marriage ceremonies & birthday celebrations until his final days. He was also a member of the American Legion and the local Veteran community in Lyndonville for many years. His family and friends are witnesses of his patriotism and love of country.

SEE: Jean S. Charles - Obituary

George Mathon (March 18, 1945 - March 21, 2017)

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Reading in Brandon

George Mathon, fellow poet and dear friend, died March 21, 2017 in Naples, Florida at 72 after a long struggle with cancer. Born in Burlington, Vermont, George resided during the summer months in a cabin overlooking Joe's Pond in West Danville, Vermont. He wintered in Florida.

He was the author of many poems, and of the books Chickadees and Killers. His newest book, The Marsh, is forthcoming. It was a joy to collaborate with him on so many poems and to be with him here in his final days.

An obituary will appear in The Times Argus, based in Barre, Vermont. A memorial service will be held in Vermont later this year.

His poetry lives on.

Thanks to his friend George Longenecker who was with George at the time, and who first informed us of his passing.

SEE: Sixfold -- Poetry Winter 2014

"Why Not Chase After It?"

"Part of me says it's kind of crazy to think you can fly your human body. Another part of me thinks all of us have had the dream that we can fly. Why not chase after it? Maybe it brings you to some other tangent. Chasing after the unattainable is the fun part."

Dean Potter