I work with Boxcar Press on the INK+WIT letterpress line as well as custom design client projects and licensed designs for Bella Figura. Through my relationship with Boxcar over many years I luckily met and developed a very dear friendship with Carrie in the last year. While we never got to practice yoga together or share a cup of tea, we connected from the beginning, like we were friends for some time. She was a bright light, a hard worker, a young lady with an old soul and huge heart. She always smiled no matter how busy she was and you could tell she always went with the flow gracefully. One of the sweetest memories I have of Carrie is a long conversation we had at a local Indie Art Fair here in Syracuse, NY. We talked for at least an hour over my table about many things and she was so honest, real, and charming. And, very sharp.
Carrie and her husband, not even 35 years old died in a tragic car accident. In the car was their four year old son who thankfully is alive but sadly is left without mom and dad. It is so tragic I cannot even write this email without crying my eyes out. Carrie will be missed so very much.
In the midst of all this tragedy, the Boxcar team has come into work everyday and worked hard on all their projects. I share the same studio building with them and let me just say, they are amazing. While mourning this loss their work ethic and strength is indescribable. I cannot put it into words. I have met with both the founders, Harold Kyle and Debbie Urbanski, in the last week and they are composed, steady, and working through the loss of a loved one.
Harold wrote a lovely dedicated memoriam for Carrie on the Boxcar blog. There are funds being collected for her son and I hope we can all give to this child who has suffered a tremendous loss.
Harold's post:
"In Memoriam
Boxcar Press mourns the sudden loss of our beloved Office Manager and Client Coordinator Carrie Reagan. Her obituary appears here.
Boxcar Press initially hired Carrie as an Administrative Assistant in 2007. She earned a promotion to Office Manager in 2008 and was continuing her advancement this year into a role as a Client Coordinator, managing our custom printing jobs. Her work was exemplary and always in sync with our mission and values at Boxcar Press.
We will always remember the tireless energy that Carrie devoted to her job. She touched many of our customers and vendors through detailed phone support over the past three years. She was conversant in all aspects of our business, and patiently explained ink choices, file formats, paper sizes, press mechanics, everything. Everybody turned to Carrie for an answer, myself included. In addition, Carrie organized many of our environmental and social initiatives, from company-sponsored organic agriculture to employee-powered neighborhood cleanups.
Carrie’s upbeat, positive, constructive personality helped carry our employees through the past three years. We are all grieving her departure. In her memory, we ask that you consider her 4-year old son Eamon. This “little man” (who likewise brought joy to our life over the years visiting our office and printshop) now has suddenly lost both of his parents. Please consider a memorial contribution to the Eamon Willoughby Trust Fund, c/o Geddes Federal Savings & Loan, 2208 W. Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13219.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to Carrie’s survivors.
written by harold on March 15th, 2010 at 11:41 pm"
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