Knights of Columbus select Family of the Year

Friday, Jun. 19, 2015

VERNAL — Jim and Joan Carney were named the 2015 Knights of Columbus Family of the Year during the 108th annual Utah State Knights of Columbus Convention, held in Vernal May 1-3.

“Family is the reason the Knights of Columbus even exists,” said Jerry Hanten, State Deputy, before the presentation was made. “A need to support and keep families together was the driving component of the establishment of the Knights of Columbus.” 

Robert Masse, Jr., immediate past state deputy, presented the award to the Carneys, who are members of Saint Thomas More Parish.

Jim Carney joined the Knights of Columbus in 1955. He and Joan have been married for more than 55 years. They raised eight children, six boys and two girls, and now have 28 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. 

Over the years they have been active in Saint Thomas More Parish as religious education teachers and RCIA sponsors. They are lectors and train others in the lector program, they are Eucharistic ministers, have assisted with the youth Easter portrayal of key Biblical figures and assisted with the Stations of the Cross, said Masse.

Joan Carney is a member of the St. Thomas More Council of Catholic Women and has assisted with the ‘I Can Read Program,’ “which her service as a teacher is well-suited for,” Masse said. 

Jim Carney was a charter member of the St. Thomas More Knights of Columbus council and served as its first Grand Knight; he has held many positions in the council and assembly and is still very active. 

“You can hardly have an event at the parish or with the council where these two are not present,” said Masse. 

They just “do and do and do,” said Jo Dorsett, a St. Thomas More office secretary. “They are so deserving of this award.” 

The Carneys moved to Utah from Pocatello, Idaho in 1986 so Jim could continue working for the Union Pacific Railroad when the office closed in Idaho, he said.

Joan grew up in Idaho, and Jim grew up in Butte, Mont. The couple met at a young adult church social; at that point each had already graduated from college and begun a career.

The Catholic Church has always been a part of the couple’s lives, said Joan. “Our families were always active; it was what we did – we worked in the family, in the Church and in the community,” she said. 

While living in Idaho, Jim and Joan both taught CCD. Jim was involved with the Knights of Columbus; Joan was in charge of the Eucharistic ministers and was a director of religious education. 

In addition, they both served on various committees to raise funds for the parish building fund, the bishop’s appeal and garage sales for the parish.

“Now we only live a mile from the St. Thomas More, so it’s easy to be involved,” Joan said. “When we moved here, we got acquainted right away with Father Terry Moore, who was the pastor then; he asked us to help count the weekend collections. Then they needed Eucharist ministers and lectors. I started teaching the confirmation class for a while, and then I taught the second-grade class.”

For 27 years, Jim made sure the church was locked after activities were held. 

The Carneys continue to help with the St. Thomas More Days of Yore, the Fun Bunch, at First Communion and wherever they can, they said. 

“We help with funeral receptions; people are so appreciative,” said Joan. “Anything we do that has to do with the altar brings us so much closer to Christ and his messages. I know when I’m doing a ministry, it’s really a blessing. When we are lectoring, we really get to see the people in the pews; being in ministry we really receive as much as we give.”