In Memoriam: Iole Carusi
The woman believed to be the oldest Episcopalian in Vermont passed away in Barre of Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. Iole Carusi was a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd and died peacefully at the age of 105 years, eight months and 25 days. She was an active and beloved member of the parish she represented and a living link to the past.
As Rebecca Eschelbach of Good Shepherd said, “Iole will be missed. It seemed liked she’d been here forever.”
At her funeral, the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, pastor at Good Shepherd, preached that, “Although the quantity of Iole’s life is extraordinary, we should not forget that the qualities of her life was just as amazing: she lived a life filled with humor, dignity and gratitude.”
As an example, Iole called her cousin who had taken care of her affairs for many years to thank her just two days before Iole died. One of the things that always gave her pleasure was visits by Bishop Tom Ely. At his visit last year, Bishop Ely gave her a pin with the Diocesan coat of arms, and she was buried with this pin. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.