We are grateful for the opportunity to share and reflect upon our many warm memories of Bill Carstarphen. As I type this, I think how happy he would be about Duke's national basketball championship last night.
I first met Bill in 1965. I had just accepted an Assistant City Attorney position in the Charlotte City Attorney's office right out of UNC Law School, and Bill was an Assistant to City Manager Bill Veeder. Mary Jo and I quickly became friends with Bill and Stephanie, enjoyed backyard beer and cookouts together as well as the Charlotte Unitarian Church where we were befriended by Turley and Arlene Higgins. Because of our jobs, politics had to be definitely low key for Bill and I, but our spouses did not necessarily feel the same restrictions. In fact, the Democratic Party led all four of us to become close friends with Bill and Linda Ashendorf and Ralph and Susanne Ricketson. We socialized frequently and the Underhills, the Carstarphens and the Higgins also attended Duke- UNC football games together for several years.
When Bill became the City Manager of Greenville, NC, the Underhills and Higgins went down to Greenville for a weekend - a visit that was very much a weekend to remember. When Bill moved on to become City Manager in Spartanburg, SC the same foursome traveled from Charlotte for a similar weekend stay.
Once Bill was appointed Greensboro City Manager, our contacts were less frequent but Mary Jo and I would generally run into Bill and Agnes at the ACC Basketball Tournament in Greensboro. It was a tough time to be a Tar Heel during that period as Duke was dominant in basketball and Bill in his kind and not so subtle way made sure we were aware of that fact.
Because I was in the City Attorney's office for almost 30 years, Bill and I would frequently cross paths in NC municipal meetings and events around the state and an old friend of mine, the Greensboro City Attorney would also keep me posted on Bill's ups and downs as he dealt with the Greensboro City Council.
In 1995, I retired as City Attorney, and Mary Jo and I left Charlotte to move to Alexandria, VA when I started a second career as Executive Director of the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA), headquartered in Washington, DC. I recall Bill visited with us once when he was in DC area on business and family matters.
I also fondly remember returning to Charlotte for either an ICMA or NLC Conference and having a delightful dinner with Bill and Virginia, a woman that he had begun dating. Bill was eager for me to meet Virginia and it was clear from the outset that the two of them were quite taken with one another.
At the end of 2006, I retired from my IMLA position, and after selling our house in Virginia, we moved to western NC for several months to be close to Mary Jo's mom before we left for our permanent destination in Seattle, WA. Once Bill and Virginia found out we were back in NC, they invited Mary Jo and I as well as Bill and Linda Ashendorf for an extraordinary weekend at their fantastic mountain home outside of Waynesville. We laughed a great deal, shared many stories about our children and grandchildren and mutual friends, ate delicious food and drank good wine, and relived over 40 years of friendship. For us, it was a weekend that we will forever remember.
Bill's sudden death affected us enormously. He was without question a wonderful, devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. Moreover, Bill was the epitome of a person who was meant to be in public service. He clearly considered his profession as a noble calling and dedicated his life to it. He was properly viewed as an outstanding city manager in all of the communities he served and rightfully so.
But most of all Bill was a genuinely good and loving person that we are proud to remember as our dear friend.
Henry and Mary Jo Underhill
Seattle, WA
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Paulette Purgason - Charlotte, NC
How lovely. I shall go through my photographs and try to find pictures and ask others that worked with us at City Hall in Charlotte to do likewise as well as to share remembrances of a "wild and funny guy."
We knew him before his girls, loved watching his growth as a Dad, and knew the joy he had when each daughter was born to him and your mother. He loved you so very much and was so very proud of his girls.
A beautifully designed blogspot. A great idea.
One of my personal favorites is the caricature I presented to him on behalf of his Charlotte City Hall family drawn by noted artist and WSOC-TV personality, Gene Payne. It would be nice to add that image to
your blog collection of Bill remembrances.
The best to your entire family, and especially to your mother, and to the love of his life beyond you-three and his grands, Virginia. Please give her my personal regards.
Sincerely, and with Joy at knowing the real "Bill."
Paulette W. Purgason
We knew him before his girls, loved watching his growth as a Dad, and knew the joy he had when each daughter was born to him and your mother. He loved you so very much and was so very proud of his girls.
A beautifully designed blogspot. A great idea.
One of my personal favorites is the caricature I presented to him on behalf of his Charlotte City Hall family drawn by noted artist and WSOC-TV personality, Gene Payne. It would be nice to add that image to
your blog collection of Bill remembrances.
The best to your entire family, and especially to your mother, and to the love of his life beyond you-three and his grands, Virginia. Please give her my personal regards.
Sincerely, and with Joy at knowing the real "Bill."
Paulette W. Purgason
Michael & Renida Carter - Los Alamos, NM
My memory of Mr. Carstarphen began in my grade school days in Spartanburg, SC. He was the father of three daughters about my age who I don't really recall my first introduction to - but in time they would become sisters to me while we were all growing up on Henson Street. The Carstarphen's house was Grand Central Station for the neighborhood - from kick the can to front-yard camp outs, it was the place to hang out.
At this time, Mr. Carstarphen was City Manager of Spartanburg, SC - as a youngster this was nothing more than a title to me. He wore a suit and tie to work just like my Dad the banker. But Mr. Carstarphen had that red MGB sporting an electric overdrive which was much more alluring to a boy than our family's Dodge Dart. Of course the refrigerator full of Pearl beer didn't help that hip image, but the '80s were a hard time to be a beer connoisseur.
Elementary School came and went, then Junior High, and into High School. Somewhere along the line, I acquired the nickname of 'George' from his girls which Mr. Carstarphen immediately picked up and I would have to leave town to shake that name! Adolescence would of course bring a steady stream of suitors to the Carstarphen house and I recall with some amusement that there were times when Mr. Carstarphen would inform various gentlemen that visiting hours were over but I would somehow slip under the radar and remain on the couch watching TV... Was it just that I had become such a fixture in their living room that he no longer noticed or was it that he had a soft spot for the kid from down the street. Regrettably, I'll never know the answer to that question, but I'll always cherish those memories.
Our thoughts are with Lisa, Kristin, and Daughtry as they struggle to let the light of their fond memories for their father shine through the darkness of this sudden loss.
With our deepest regrets and all our love,
Michael "George" & Renida Carter
Los Alamos, NM
At this time, Mr. Carstarphen was City Manager of Spartanburg, SC - as a youngster this was nothing more than a title to me. He wore a suit and tie to work just like my Dad the banker. But Mr. Carstarphen had that red MGB sporting an electric overdrive which was much more alluring to a boy than our family's Dodge Dart. Of course the refrigerator full of Pearl beer didn't help that hip image, but the '80s were a hard time to be a beer connoisseur.
Elementary School came and went, then Junior High, and into High School. Somewhere along the line, I acquired the nickname of 'George' from his girls which Mr. Carstarphen immediately picked up and I would have to leave town to shake that name! Adolescence would of course bring a steady stream of suitors to the Carstarphen house and I recall with some amusement that there were times when Mr. Carstarphen would inform various gentlemen that visiting hours were over but I would somehow slip under the radar and remain on the couch watching TV... Was it just that I had become such a fixture in their living room that he no longer noticed or was it that he had a soft spot for the kid from down the street. Regrettably, I'll never know the answer to that question, but I'll always cherish those memories.
Our thoughts are with Lisa, Kristin, and Daughtry as they struggle to let the light of their fond memories for their father shine through the darkness of this sudden loss.
With our deepest regrets and all our love,
Michael "George" & Renida Carter
Los Alamos, NM
Kristin's Memorial Speech
March 22, 2010 - Kristin's Memorial Speech:
My Dad was the greatest guy ever. He was born in a very small town in eastern North Carolina to two fairly influential parents so was subsequently adored and spoiled rotten. So much so that his Uncle Bryant continually referred to him as "Little Lord Jesus." At 18 he went off to Duke University where his father and his father and his father had attended. He became a die-hard Blue Devil fan, which my 2 UNC graduate sisters paid dearly for. He went on to complete 30 years of service in city management and along the way became the father of three little daughters. During this experience of fatherhood he spent 3 long years as a single parent to these daughters during their teenage years. Because his first daughter Lisa was so well-behaved, I think he felt that raising teenage girls wouldn't be that difficult. However, Daughtry & I soon shook him out of that notion and gave him his first grey hairs. He sent us all to college - not batting an eye when I ended up on the five year - and then on to graduate school. When we left home for our college days, he began the tradition of the "Saturday morning phone call." He would call each of us every Saturday morning to check on us and to see how our weeks had been. This Saturday morning tradition continued until present day.
My Dad's feathers were hard to ruffle. Throughout our years of youthful digressions, some of our acquaintances (mainly mine) could have easily been considered persons of questionable standards, or less than stellar human beings. But he accepted them all with open arms and was able to see the good in each.
Many times during my 42 years I found it difficult to understand and accept life's intricacies, and came to him for guidance. He always took my hand and had a calming explanation of how the world works and what could and could not be done about it. He was a lover of life. He embraced every opportunity to experience it and participate. So much so that it exhausted me to try and up with his and Virginia's schedule.
He loved his work. After retiring from city government, he spend a short period of time working in the private sector. he soon realized that to be his true self, he needed to work for the betterment of society. His unending desire to improve this world led him back to public service and he found a place for that in CATS. He had an uncanny ability to convince people that he knew everything. This undoubtedly helped him in his quest to squeeze money out of the NC legislature for CATS.
He loved his friends - old ones and new ones. He never met a person he could not find something positive about. But most of all he loved his family - Franki and Fagie, Jane Grey, Strawbridge, Carlisle Brown & Gene Kendall. He loved his sweet little grandsons who would wake him up at down to go down to the basement and run the electric train set. And he loved us.
As I stand before you today, I must admit that I have had a very difficult time realizing he is gone. I cry because my heart is broken. I cry because I am angry that such a good man was taken from us before his time. i cry because he will never see what fine young men his grandsons will grow up to be. But most of all I cry because I am thankful. Because you see, of all the Dads in the world, he was given to me. And for that gift I thank every star in the heavens. Thank you all for coming, and for being such a big part of Dad's life.
My Dad was the greatest guy ever. He was born in a very small town in eastern North Carolina to two fairly influential parents so was subsequently adored and spoiled rotten. So much so that his Uncle Bryant continually referred to him as "Little Lord Jesus." At 18 he went off to Duke University where his father and his father and his father had attended. He became a die-hard Blue Devil fan, which my 2 UNC graduate sisters paid dearly for. He went on to complete 30 years of service in city management and along the way became the father of three little daughters. During this experience of fatherhood he spent 3 long years as a single parent to these daughters during their teenage years. Because his first daughter Lisa was so well-behaved, I think he felt that raising teenage girls wouldn't be that difficult. However, Daughtry & I soon shook him out of that notion and gave him his first grey hairs. He sent us all to college - not batting an eye when I ended up on the five year - and then on to graduate school. When we left home for our college days, he began the tradition of the "Saturday morning phone call." He would call each of us every Saturday morning to check on us and to see how our weeks had been. This Saturday morning tradition continued until present day.
My Dad's feathers were hard to ruffle. Throughout our years of youthful digressions, some of our acquaintances (mainly mine) could have easily been considered persons of questionable standards, or less than stellar human beings. But he accepted them all with open arms and was able to see the good in each.
Many times during my 42 years I found it difficult to understand and accept life's intricacies, and came to him for guidance. He always took my hand and had a calming explanation of how the world works and what could and could not be done about it. He was a lover of life. He embraced every opportunity to experience it and participate. So much so that it exhausted me to try and up with his and Virginia's schedule.
He loved his work. After retiring from city government, he spend a short period of time working in the private sector. he soon realized that to be his true self, he needed to work for the betterment of society. His unending desire to improve this world led him back to public service and he found a place for that in CATS. He had an uncanny ability to convince people that he knew everything. This undoubtedly helped him in his quest to squeeze money out of the NC legislature for CATS.
He loved his friends - old ones and new ones. He never met a person he could not find something positive about. But most of all he loved his family - Franki and Fagie, Jane Grey, Strawbridge, Carlisle Brown & Gene Kendall. He loved his sweet little grandsons who would wake him up at down to go down to the basement and run the electric train set. And he loved us.
As I stand before you today, I must admit that I have had a very difficult time realizing he is gone. I cry because my heart is broken. I cry because I am angry that such a good man was taken from us before his time. i cry because he will never see what fine young men his grandsons will grow up to be. But most of all I cry because I am thankful. Because you see, of all the Dads in the world, he was given to me. And for that gift I thank every star in the heavens. Thank you all for coming, and for being such a big part of Dad's life.
Bill Guerrant - Charlotte, NC
Dear Carstarphens All:
My name is Bill Guerrant and I retired as City of Charlotte public service and information director in 1997. I worked with Bill here in Charlotte and once as a consultant when he was city manager of Greensboro. The last time I saw Bill was at a breakfast gathering of retired city employees; Bill joined us when he could and at this session was sporting a leg cast and of course a lengthy story about his Mt. LeConte adventure. Unfortunately I was not able to attend Bill's service and meet all of you. The wonderful pictures on the blog show Bill as he was: happy, vibrant, full of life, laughing, loving, inquisitive and caring. He was a very special husband, Dad, Pop Pop, public servant, friend and role model. I will truly miss his smile, the twinkle in his eyes, his stories and his great love of life.
I have attached a picture taken in October, 2008 when a group of retired city employees went on a day trip to visit former Charlotte City Manager Wendell White and his wife Ruth at their mountain home near Sparta, NC. Before lunch we gathered in the cool mountain air for this group shot. Pictured from left are: Tom Campbell, Gus Psomadakis, Clark Readling, Ann Marsh, Wendell White, Bill Carstarphen, Ed Sizer and Bill Guerrant. It was a wonderful day full of stories, jokes, and of course Bill's great laugh.
My sincere condolences to you all,
Bill Guerrant
guerrantcom@sprintmail.com
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Will & Jane's Wedding
Will, Dad & Jonathan before Will & Jane's wedding. Dad always did look good in a tux.
Dad & Jane dancing. Look at the expression on Dad's face!
Me, Kristin, Dad & Lisa at the reception.
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