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Shelter Island obituaries: Northcutt, Havey

CAROL McMANUS NORTHCUTT
CAROL McMANUS NORTHCUTT

Carol McManus Northcutt
Carol McManus Northcutt was born on December 22, 1938, on Shelter Island and died on July 2, 2015 surrounded by family, friends and nursing staff at the Scott & White Continuing Care Hospital in Temple, Texas.

Carol graduated from Shelter Island High School in 1957. She graduated from Southampton School of Nursing in 1960 and worked for 20 years in both med/surgery nursing as well as psychiatry.

She was an activist in Texas electoral campaigns for Representative Turner and also was very active in Governor Ann Richards’ campaigns  and supported and helped Allen Hightower to be elected as well.

Carol worked at a Veterans Administration Hospital in Texas for several years. While there, an important research project came up. As Carol said, she knew the project would represent huge amounts of time and effort spent in the library. But the challenge “was just too savory,” she said, and accepted the responsibility.

At that time, at the V.A., to complete a research project, the researcher had to teach the findings to their peer group professionals. And so she practiced in her kitchen with her daughter Marijane, a captive audience, until she got the lecture cut to the proper time.

In what became a satisfying personal and professional experince, Carol achieved her intermediate grade step — no small thing for a single mom. It was a huge boost to her morale that she carried with her for the rest of her career.

Carol was able to mentor two other nurses who were working toward getting their master’s degree in nursing by using the knowledge and the techniques in patient care — the result of her research — thereby enhancing and elevating the standard of patient care that such knowledge and skill demands.
She was a volunteer at the Waco Rape Crisis Center and a charter member of Citizens Against Sexual Assault (CASA).

Carol developed and directed a new drug and alcohol program for Mainland City Hospital of Texas City, Texas. It was judged a resounding success and had a 84 percent recovery rate after two years.

Carol worked for 13 years in a maximum security prison. While there she realized there was no way for employees to be tested for tuberculosis, should there be an occupational exposure, so she rallied for a law to mandate this. It was the most popular and successful bill of that particular legislative session. Many of the legislators wanted to introduce it, but Carol chose Mr. Turner and through him she met Governor George W. Bush — soon to be president.

All Texas state workers are now protected under this bill.

Carol loved antiquing and reading. She also loved history. For her, they often went hand in hand.

She was a great believer in second chances, believing that we all seem to need one sooner or later.   She believed that it’s a wonderful feeling to be able to help another person have their own “second chance.” She lived happily, knowing that she had done this.

In her own words:
“So life was sweet and a happy place,
though all too short.
I had the privilege to help another
have their dream.
That is special.”

Carol leaves behind her mother, Mary Mitchell; her brother, Dr. William McManus; son Jay Card Jr. of whom she was very proud. Jay and his wife Judy have three children: Michelle, Jay III and Tommy; and step-children, Alfred and Karen and their two children, and Charmagne Parks and her two children.

However, it is Marijane Card who was her angel, caregiver, advocate and hero. In Carol’s words:
“Marijane deserves only the best for that is what she gave. She is a truly sweet spirit — the world is able to respect humanity because such lovely souls exist.”

Agnes Stewart Havey
Agnes Stewart Havey, a resident of Parrish, Florida for many years, died on Monday, May 25, 2015 after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late Ambrose S. Havey III. Agnes was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Elsie Scobell Stewart. The Stewarts lived for many years in El Paso, Texas and, later in life, turned to farming in Salisbury, Maryland.

Mrs. Havey gave birth to two children while living in Yonkers, New York — Barbara Havey of Parrish, Florida and Reverend Ambrose S. Havey IV (Sandra Kilpatrick Havey) of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Agnes is also survived by sister-in-law Frances Havey. Two grandchildren, Ambrose Peter Havey of East Hampton  and his sister Elizabeth Perry Quigley (Todd Quigley) of Bassett, Nebraska also survive. Their daughter Ella gave our mother many hours of happiness and contentment, her family said. She is also survived by three nieces and one nephew.

Agnes lived in California after WW II where she met Ambrose Havey, a young, skinny sailor from Yonkers, at a U.S.O. gathering. They were married about a year later in Yonkers.

Both Agnes and Ambrose were pilots and spent thousands of hours in the air looking for the next fun thing to do and see. In the early 60s, quite by accident, they landed on a small grass strip on Shelter Island. They got out and walked a bit until they noticed a sign, “Westmoreland Farm, Never-Never Land, Private.”

As my parents headed back to the plane, a very kind and notable man pulled up in a jeep, her son said. A half hour later they shook hands on a piece of property next to the airstrip — and the “good times began to roll!” Fly-in barbeques, unexpected fly-in guests, the water, the salt air, friends — and Agnes’s horses, Sam and Topaz. She was quite a horsewoman as she galloped down the airstrip one sunny day. It was a blessing for all of us to see and remember.

Both of our parents died with gratitude for the folks who helped make those years possible, her son said.
Agnes was very proud of her East End roots; she was a direct descendant of Joseph Youngs, the founding family of Southold in 1630. Her lineage also included Thomas Halsey, one of the founders of Southampton.

Since she loved flying and all that went with it, she was honored that her first cousin was Michael Collins, the astronaut who didn’t get to walk on the moon on the Apollo 11 moon flight.

Agnes was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Shelter Island.

The family will meet later this summer for a graveside service.