In Memory of . . . Gaston M. Carrier (1920-2012)

The
Ministries and Faith Development staff offers our condolences to the
family and colleagues of the Rev. Dr. Gaston Marcel Carrier who died on
June 20, 2012. He was 92 years old.

Rev.
Carrier was born in Montréal, Québec, Canada on January 14, 1920 to
Alfred and Adelina (LaPierre) Carrier. Rev. Carrier attained his
Bachelor of Arts degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario
and Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia in 1941. After studies
in theology at the Montréal Divinity School and Emmanuel College, he
received his B.D. from Meadville Theological School in 1947. He then
went on to earn a Master of Education from the University of Bridgeport,
CT in 1959, and a Master of Arts in French Literature from the
University of Vermont in 1968. He received an honorary Doctor of
Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1973.

Rev.
Carrier was ordained by the United Church of Canada in Montreal on
September 10, 1943. In the early years of his ministry, he worked at
Unitarian churches in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Cohasset, MA. He then
went on to work at the First Grace Universalist Church in Lowell, MA
from 1952-1957; and the Universalist Congregation of Danbury, CT from
1957-1961. In 1961, he was called to the First Unitarian Universalist
Society of Burlington, VT. He stayed there until his retirement in 1978
when he was also voted Minister Emeritus of the church.

Rev.
Carrier was active in the Civil Rights Movement and helped found
Planned Parenthood in Burlington, VT. He was a member of the American
Association of Pastoral Counselors, the Community Council of Greater
Burlington, the Burlington Council of Churches, and the Champlain Valley
Clergy Association.

A
true bibliophile, Rev. Carrier enjoyed adding to his library whenever
possible. Throughout his long life, he pursued an abiding love of all
things French Canadian including history, literature, language, culture
and antiques. A writer, he published a book, Prayers, in 1971; and in 1973, he wrote and published a children’s story entitled Johnny Peanut.

Throughout
his ministry (and in all these endeavors), Rev. Carrier was supported
by his wife of 64 years, an active Unitarian-Universalist, Mary
(Archibald) Carrier. Although Mary had a demanding full-time career of
her own, she was the Director of Religious Education at both the
Burlington and Danbury churches, and was tremendously active on
committees and in the life of both churches, as well as in Lowell.She
accompanied Rev. Carrier to General Assembly, and hosted “Thursday Night
Suppers” for small groups of parishioners to encourage community and
discussion, rotating through the entire congregation and then starting
all over again.A true ministerial partner, she supported her husband’s
ministry in extraordinary ways throughout his career and their lives
together.

In
a personal statement, Rev. Carrier once noted that he established his
ministry “upon a foundation of personal dedication, utter sincerity, and
rich inner resources of a kind and generous spirit.”

Rev.
Carrier is survived by daughter, Michèle Carrier; daughter, Natalie
Carrier and her husband, David Ackerman; daughter, Jill Carrier and her
husband, David Duncan; daughter, Hilarie Terebessy and her husband,
David Terebessy; grandchildren, Samuel and Sarah Duncan, and Matthew and
Nina Terebessy; his brother, Jean-Paul Carrier; and many nieces and
nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary (Archibald) Carrier.

In
lieu of flowers, donations in Rev. Carrier’s memory may be sent to the
Committee on Temporary Shelter, P.O. Box 1616, Burlington, VT 05402.

A
memorial service, overlooking Lake Champlain, will be held on Saturday,
September 1, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Bishop Booth Conference Center, 20 Rock
Point Circle, Burlington, VT, 05408.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Jill Carrier, 113 Ocean St., Dorchester, MA 02124.

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