Alumni Obituaries – June 2015
The Rev. Harvey Larabee Carnes (B.D., 1948), 89, devoted Asbury University and Wilmore High School alumnus, United Church of Christ pastor, and professor of sociology, died at UNC Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC, after many years of debilitating lung disease. Born in Wilmore, Kentucky in 1925, Rev. Carnes was the fifth of nine children of Benis Gordon Carnes and Willie Graves Carnes. Benis and Willie had grown up on neighboring farms in East Texas (Nacogdoches County) and moved to Wilmore so that Benis could attend Asbury Academy and Asbury College, from which Benis graduated in 1927. Benis became a noted Evangelist and Kentucky Colonel, and Willie was named Kentucky Mother of the Year in 1955. Rev. Carnes experienced a personal Christian conversion at the age of six in the basement of the Wilmore Methodist Episcopal Church South in response to an appeal by Mrs. Ida E. Shields, a Missionary to India (and also the mother-in-law of Asbury graduate Rev. E.A. Seamands). In 1942, Rev. Carnes graduated from Wilmore High School. In his retirement years, Rev. Carnes looked forward to reunions with fellow Wilmore High alums. As did his father and all of his eight siblings, Rev. Carnes attended Asbury College (now Asbury University), graduating in 1945. Even before attending Asbury Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1948, Rev. Carnes gave his first sermon, at age 18, at Bethel Christian Church near Wilmore. He shortly after became the pastor at Mount Hebron Methodist church located between Harrisburg and Salvisa, later adding Green’s Chapel near Bards-town and Penny’s Chapel. In 1946, Rev. Carnes married a fellow student at Asbury, Rebecca Lois Bingham, with whom he eventually had five children, who survive him: Deborah (George Christie), Larry, Emily (Chuck Fields), Timothy (Elizabeth) and Nathan (Kelly). Rev. Carnes and his wife Rebecca went on to pastor United Church of Christ churches in Massachusetts, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina. In 1960, Rev. Carnes returned to graduate school at UNC-Chapel Hill and then NC State University to obtain his Master of Arts degree and complete all of the course-work for the Ph. D. in Sociology. He taught at Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University) in Richmond, VA, and UNC-Pembroke, in Lum-berton, NC, all the while continuing his ministry. Rebecca Carnes, who majored in music at Asbury, and became a noted soprano, public school music teacher, and choir director in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area, and predeceased Rev. Carnes in 2001. In 2005, Rev. Carnes married Phyllis Webb, whom he had known since she had been one of his parishioners in Franklin, Virginia from 1953 to 1956. In addition to his five children and his second wife, Rev. Carnes is survived by nine beloved grandchildren: Rebecca Sophia, Nicholas, Drew, Seth, Marie Christine, Eldon, Philip, Jason, and Haley. A memorial service of Christian music and remembrance for Rev. Carnes will be held on Saturday, June 13 at 4 p.m. at Damascus Congregational Christian Church located at 522 Damascus Church Road in Chapel Hill, NC 27516, followed by supper on the grounds offered by the family of Rev. Carnes, who remember with great fondness their attendance at Damascus during the period 1960-62 when they lived on Damascus Church Road, and where twin brothers Timothy and Nathan were baptized. During his lifetime, Rev. Carnes established “The Benis Gordon Carnes and Rebecca Bingham Carnes Memorial Endowed Scholarship” fund at Asbury University.
Rev. Howard Rosine, (M.Div., 1949), 91, was a minister, teacher, loving patriarch, and longtime Claremont resident, died at home, surrounded by friends and family. He was born on June 28, 1923 in South Pasadena to Howard Myron Rosine and Emily Sophia Besse. He was drafted into the military in World War II and was stationed, among other locations, in Oregon. He later said it rained every day for the nine months he was there. Mr. Rosine attended Occidental College in Eagle Rock and Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, where he obtained a Bachelor of Divinity degree and met his wife Alice. The couple was married in 1948 and had three children, Art, Julia and Norman. Mr. Rosine was a Methodist minister for 15 years, serving churches in Lomita, San Diego and Bishop. He received a master’s degree from the Claremont School of Theology. After moving to Claremont, he became a chemistry instructor, teaching at El Monte, Rosemead and Mountain View high schools. He later taught electronics courses at Rio Hondo College. Mr. Rosine had great empathy for people who were financially disadvantaged. He owned properties in Claremont and often housed struggling families and helped them find employment. During his retirement, he spent much of his time working on projects for Habitat for Humanity. He was also a founding member of the “Rusty Nails” group at his church. Mr. Rosine, who began each morning with Bible study before eating breakfast, remained extremely active at Claremont United Methodist Church. He was head of the church’s board of trustees for many years and visited the sick and the elderly, bringing them communion. He participated in a creative writing class as well as other study groups staying intellectually active in his old-age. He also served as a beacon, standing in front of the church on Sunday mornings to greet people, with an umbrella shading him from the sun. Mr. Rosine remained dedicated to his post, welcoming the congregation from his wheelchair until shortly before his death. His family and friends gave him a fitting send-off, painting the cardboard cremation casket and decorating it with photographs of Howard and messages to him. “It was a very sweet, very healing thing, and the ministers were fine with it. It was like sending out little prayer flags,” his daughter-in-law Marsha said. Mr. Rosine was preceded in death by his wife Alice, who died in 2008 two months short of their 60th wedding anniversary. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Art and Marsha Rosine, by his daughter Julia Lawson, by his son Norman “Yehuda” Rosine, and by his honorary daughter Maria Alfonso. He also leaves grandchildren Jennifer Devore, Andrew King, Sharon McCusker, Sophie Castle-Arriaga, Chava Marshak, Chaya Feige Miller, Avraham Rosine, Sara Lebovitz, Tirza Berger, Devora Rachel Shai, Shaina Komsky, Aharon Rosine, Elisheva Weiss, and Schlomo Zalman Rosine as well as 24 great-grandchildren.
The Rev. Harold “Rusty” Thomas, Jr. (M.Div., 1976), 64, passed into the life to come at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice House in Winston-Salem, NC after a lengthy illness. A native of Alexandria, VA, Rev. Thomas was born October 16, 1950, the only child to Harold and Elsie Thomas. He is a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College (B.A.) and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Rev. Thomas was ordained in the Free Methodist Church, and served as pastor for a total of 27 years to Free Methodist and United Methodist congregations in Oklahoma and Western New York. He served in numerous volunteer capacities over the years, with emphasis on education and children/youth. He was heavily involved in the local schools in the communities in which he lived, particularly their sports and extracurricular programs. Rev. Thomas was a lifelong sports enthusiast, history buff, and lover of choral music. Rev. Thomas is reunited with his wife of 39 years, Julie (Breese) Thomas, and his parents. He is survived by his children, Christel Allen (Mike) of Newton, NC, Megan Thomas of Niagara Falls, NY, Rev. A.J. Thomas (Ashley) of Greensboro, NC, and Dave Thomas (Angela) of Rochester, NY; and grandchildren, Julian Sharpe, Nathaniel Allen, Valery Sharpe, Josiah Allen, Ayden Thomas, and Ian Grandin.