Cornelius 'Neil' Joseph Carr

Cornelius Joseph Carr, known to his loved ones as Neil, passed away peacefully due to complications with Alzheimer's Disease on August 12, 2023, at the age of 83 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Neil was a man of great curiosity and intellect, an avid photographer and student of languages. Driven by a deep belief that love is expressed through service to others, Neil's faith informed his fierce advocacy for the most vulnerable among us. Quiet, with well-timed sardonic humor, Neil found great joy in being a responsive and accountable husband, father and member of his community.

Born on October 2, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Irish immigrants from Donegal (Kilcar and Glenties), Neil spent his childhood with other Irish Catholic kids in the neighborhood playing stickball and riding the subway to Coney Island to enjoy the Cyclone and Parachute Jump.

Neil's journey began at Maryknoll Seminary when he was just 13 years old, where he embarked on the path to becoming a Maryknoll Priest. Educated and ordained by the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers, Neil's life took an unexpected turn when he met the love of his life, Maryknoll Sister Adrianne Ouellette (Sr. Mara Louise), in Taiwan. This led him to leave the priesthood and start a new journey of marriage and fatherhood.

After residing in various locations including Arlington, Virginia, Brooklyn, New York and Boston, Massachusetts, Neil and Adrianne settled in Gaithersburg, Maryland where they were committed members of Rockville United Church. Neil worked at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., until his early retirement in 1995. He then spent two years writing about U.S.-China relations for a Chinese language magazine in Taiwan.

In 1996, Adrianne became the Associate Pastor of First Church Burlington, prompting a move to Burlington, Vermont. Neil held several finance jobs while also serving as an interim pastor and participating in pulpit supply for small, country churches after his Catholic ordination was recognized by the United Church of Christ. Neil grew to love Vermont and was a dedicated and loving member of First Church Burlington.

Neil was a passionate photographer, setting up a dark room in his bathroom to develop images. Deputizing his daughter Susan in the process, she would go on to become a photographer herself. He loved reading, his favorite author being James Joyce. A family trip to Ireland in 1989 was spent visiting relatives with side trips to the Martello Tower in Dublin and Nora Barnacle's home in Galway. Neil actively studied and spoke Mandarin, seeking out the best Chinese restaurants wherever he called home, cultivating opportunities to keep up his abilities and enjoy his beloved jiao zi (dumplings). Neil and Adrianne were well traveled, visiting Haiti, Puerto Rico, Israel, Jordan and Syria. Neil was a devoted member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 45 years, where he made good friends whose fellowship and the principles of AA widened his spiritual life. Above all else, Neil loved his wife of 51 years and his children. Providing for and protecting his family brought him great joy and peace.

Neil will be deeply missed by his beloved wife, Adrianne Carr, their children Neil M. Carr, Susan Wetherby and her husband Keith, and Cathleen Carr and her husband Peter Hanlon, his sister Mary Kinsella, nieces Noreen Liotta, Theresa Schirripa, Sheila Kinsella and nephews Kenneth Kinsella and Neil Kinsella, and his grandchildren Nathan, Cleo, Ronan, Juno, and Desmond. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cornelius 'Conn' Carr and Mary Carr.

A Memorial Service in Celebration of the Life of Neil J. Carr will be held on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at First Congregational Church of Burlington, located at 38 S. Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Neil's memory to Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers or the Alzheimer's Association.

Neil's legacy of love, service, and intellectual curiosity will forever be cherished by those who had the privilege of knowing him. May his life serve as inspiration for others and may he rest in peace.