Reading, Vt. —
Douglas was born Oct. 15, 1944, in Hartford, Conn. to Ralph Carrier and Cecile Bourgoin Carrier.
Douglas leaves his beloved wife and life partner of 43 years, Mary K. Crowley; two step-daughters, Susan M. Skewes and her husband, David of Canaan, N.H., and Laura J. Blanchette and her husband, Marc, of Saco, Maine. He also leaves four dear step-grandchildren, Noah and Olivia Turney and their mother, Jennifer Turney, of Weathersfield, Vt. and Sophie and Julia Blanchette of Saco. He was predeceased by his parents, and step-son, Stephen M. Turney. He also leaves his sister, Constance M. Noonan and her husband, Robert, of West Hartford, Conn. and Eileen Carrier of Newington, Conn. He was predeceased by sisters, Marie Carrier, Joyce Zalucki, and Ann Judith Carrier.
Douglas also leaves several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
He graduated from Hartford Public High School in 1962. After high school he served first as an apprentice and later a member of The International Brotherhood of Sheet Metal Workers.
In the late 60’s and early 70’s Douglas worked as manger at the popular watering hole in Hartford, the “Rocking Horse” and later at the equally famous “Other Horse” in Manchester, Conn. He leaves behind a host of long-time loyal friends from that era.
Douglas was a voracious reader of art history, astronomy, black holes, dark energy, philosophy, poetry, history, physics, politics, sailing, whaling and motorcycle maintenance. He could fix anything with a piece of string
In 1973 Douglas embarked on an epic bicycle journey from East Hartford, Conn. to Newport Beach, Calif., making first a sharp left-hand turn towards Louisiana where he worked for six months as a shrimp boat fisherman on the Bold Venture. It was during this time he found his true vocation as an artist, a pursuit he inhabited for the rest of his life. He made that trip against the prevailing winds which became a metaphor for his life.
In 1974 he returned home to Woodstock, Vt. where he lived with Mary, Stephen, Susan and Laura and owned and operated the “Octopus Gallery”. In 1984 the family moved to Reading.
Douglas was a man who is hard to put into mere words: he was a generous and gregarious man, a raconteur, a loyal husband, a mentor to many young minds and a fierce debater on just about anything that mattered.
Douglas’s family is very appreciative of the care he received from his Neurologist, Vijay Thadani, his Primary Care Physician, Gillam Johnston, and the entire team at DHMC ICU. The family is also grateful for the response from The Reading Emergency Medical Team.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Douglas’s memory to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, PO Box56059, Washington, DC 20090-6059,or to Reading Fire and Rescue at PO Box 42, Reading, VT 05062. A memorial service honoring Douglas will be held on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at the Reading Town Hall in Reading, Vermont at 1 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Please come prepared to share favorite memories.