People We've Lost
John Malcolm Carter, Grace LaVerne (Young) Jones
Note: “People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island lost in the previous 1-2 weeks. We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered as widely as possible. If you have an obituary for a loved one or friend that you can’t afford to place in other spaces, please let us know and we’ll share it here for you.
John Malcolm Carter
Beech Hill, Mount Desert Island
John Malcolm Carter, affectionately known as “Captain,” passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, at his home in Portland, Maine, with his loving partner Jeannie Colbath by his side.
Born on Jan. 25, 1942, in Bar Harbor, John was raised on his family’s farm on Beech Hill, Mount Desert Island, by his parents Donald and Glenice Carter. He was a proud graduate of Mount Desert High School, where he was elected to the Hall of Fame and helped lead the basketball team to consecutive state championships.
John went on to earn his degree from the University of Maine before launching a successful career as the co-owner of a regional insurance adjusting business on Cape Cod. He raised his two children in Dennis, Mass., where he was an active member of the community.
Summers were sacred to John, often spent at camp on Long Pond in Mount Desert, Maine, where he found peace and happiness on his dock, surrounded by nature and the people he loved. Known for his magnetic personality, John was the life of every gathering and maintained deep, lifelong friendships that spanned decades. He was an avid New England sports fan, a passionate golfer, and someone who brought energy and laughter wherever he went.
John is survived by his daughter, Kimberly Devanney, and her husband, Shawn Devanney of Manchester, N.H.; his son, Christopher Carter, and his wife, Enya Carter of Durham, Maine; and his four cherished grandchildren: Shane, Nick, Casey, and Jack Devanney. He was predeceased by his brother, Charles Carter.
A celebration of life will be held in Somesville, Maine, this September, where family and friends will gather to honor a man whose warmth, humor, and spirit will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
Grace LaVerne (Young) Jones
Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island and Ohio
Grace LaVerne (Young) Jones, 98, died peacefully at home on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, surrounded by family and friends. She was born in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 7, 1926, to Nora Belle (Rice) Young and Walter L. Young. Walter was a marble contractor, and his work graced many Catholic churches in the Austin area.
Grace received her registered nurse (R.N.) diploma from Mountain State Memorial Hospital in Charleston, W.Va. She furthered her education at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Mass., pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education.
Grace served in the Air Force as a R.N. in the mid 1950s, stationed at Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Ga. There she met and married Jerry W. Jones, and they welcomed one child, Karen Leslie Jones, in 1957.
Grace loved nursing and her patients; she never met a stranger. Her career spanned forty years. She enjoyed all aspects of nursing, especially orthopedics, surgery and psychiatry, serving in both patient care and management roles. She helped many patients overcome obstacles by her loving care and steadfast faith. She took to heart Dr. Frances Peabody’s words from 1926 “… for the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient …”
In addition to nursing, Grace loved her church. She was a devoted member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Columbus, Ohio, and Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Bar Harbor, Maine. A beautiful friend recently commented, “Every conversation with Grace revealed her faith, and she shared that faith with encouragement and care for others.”
Grace was a talented gardener, with a large rose garden in Ohio. She would lovingly bring fresh roses to her patients to brighten their hospital stays. Grace also loved animals. Her homes always included dogs and birds as cherished family members.
Grace is survived by her daughter Karen Leslie (Jones) Brown and son-in-law Mark O. Brown, as well as her special niece Donna (Young) Lyons and nephew-in-law Steve Lyons in Austin, Texas, along with several nieces and nephews. Grace was predeceased by her parents, her brother Wooten Young and sister Madeline Hickman.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude and love to all Grace’s compassionate caregivers from Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, especially Emily, Jenny, Jane, Karen, Zoe, Allie, Rob, Tim, Julie, Vicky and many others. The family would like to thank Katy Lawson, FNP, for her loving care over the years, along with the wonderful health care professionals at MDI Hospital and the Cooper Gilmore Health Center.
On Thursday, July 17, at 11 a.m., a funeral mass will be celebrated at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 56 Mt. Desert St., Bar Harbor followed by interment at the Holy Redeemer Cemetery and a reception in the Church Hall. The preceding day, July 16, at 1 p.m., the Holy Rosary will be prayed at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. All are welcome.
The family suggests memorial gifts to Transfiguration Parish located at 56 Mt. Desert St., Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, Phone (207) 288-3535.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.