CarlEmelia Worth, senior at the Kent School in Kent, CT and resident of Keene, unexpectedly and tragically took her own life at Kent on January 28 at the age of 18. She was the beloved emerging daughter of Steve and Elsa Worth of Keene. She had very recently adopted the name Emelia as she began to share her identity as transgender. Carl was born in Boston and in the past 18 years her family had lived in Exeter and Dover, NH; Westport, Trumbull and Bethany, CT. They moved to Keene this past August.
Always an exceptional student, CarlEmelia received a nearly full scholarship to attend high school at the Kent School in CT, where she distinguished herself as a leader, serving as class representative each year and as the senior prefect this year. She was a talented member of all Kent’s musical ensembles as a section leader in the chamber choir and acapella group, the first bass player in the orchestra, bassist in the jazz bands, and a percussionist in the concert band and was the president of the school’s chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She was on the swim team for four years and the Kent crew team for two years and loved participating in the school play and musical. She was a high honors student in the top decile of her class and loved to learn.
CarlEmelia was known for having a wonderful sense of humor and for making others feel welcomed, loved and appreciated. She could make friends with anyone and earned the love and respect of students from every corner of the campus as their leader. Her loss has been deeply felt in the Kent community where candlelight vigils and other special tributes have been held since her death. A special fundraising concert, which is being planned in her honor, will be held in April. Her bass has been set up in the usual spot in the orchestra as a memorial.
CarlEmelia was an almost lifelong camper at Camp Washington in Lakeside, CT and then became a CIT and beloved counsellor. Campers and students gathered for a special time of prayer and remembrance in her honor this week. She is also beloved by the congregation of St. Paul’s in Norwalk, CT where she was a chorister and active member of their music ministry for 8 years. She has been a valued member of each of the congregations her mother, and Episcopal priest, has served.
She was in the process to applying to ten different colleges and had already heard she was accepted in the Honors programs at UNH and UMass Amherst. Her plan was to study linguistics, music and physics and to go on to a PhD program and become a professor.
CarlEmelia was courageous in sharing her struggles with depression and gender identity with her school, reaching out to others who were suffering in silence to let them know they were not alone. Although she was not able to overcome the depression that took her life, the love and compassion expressed by her many Kent brothers and sisters since the tragedy has been transformative, and has strengthened their resolve to show kindness and support to those who suffer from depression and love and acceptance toward those who are transgender.
CarlEmelia is survived by her mother and father, her brothers Bo and Orion and sister-in-law Dinorah, her two grandmothers, 5 aunts, 2 uncles and many cousins.
A Memorial Eucharist will be held at St. James Church, 44 West Street, Keene, NH on Friday, February 10th at 12:00 pm, at which Bishop Rob Hirschfeld of NH and Bishop Laura Ahrens of CT will preside. The service will be followed by a burial at Monadnock View Cemetery on Park Ave in Keene and then a reception back at the church. A memorial service will also be held at the Kent School on Tuesday, February 14th at 7pm, also officiated by the bishops.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to "The Emelia Carl ’17 Memorial Scholarship Fund" at the Kent School, 1 Macedonia Road, Kent, CT 06757.
Parking Information for Service:
Dear St. James Parish Family and Out-of-town Guests,
We anticipate a large attendance for CarlEmelia Worth’s funeral, which may challenge our regular parking ability for a work-week day. Virtually all parking is metered. With this in mind please consider the following:
1. If you are willing and able, the MSA Group (NGM Insurance Co.), as a good neighbor, will allow free parking in their overflow lot for Friday's funeral. This lot holds about 50 cars. The map below shows the offered parking area highlighted in yellow. This lot is south of Gilbo Avenue (left side coming from Main St.) between the skate park and School St. The MSA Group is aware that there will be St. James/Guest cars there Friday, Feb. 10, without valid parking stickers. This is also an excellent place for bus parking.
2. Similarly, the Stewart Financial Group has graciously made their lot (which is immediately adjacent to St James) available for handicap parking. The Stewart Financial Group needs parking for themselves and their clients, but can handle several more vehicles for physically challenged attendees.
3. Please bring quarters if you park in our metered lots, and look for those meters identified as 10 hour meters. They allow you to park longer for more reasonable rates. We have a kiosk parking system in the lot across the street, but it only accepts change at this time. One quarter gives about 50 minutes of parking.
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