Community mourns; remembers Carolyn Donnelly

NICHOLS, N.Y. -- It has been a little over a week since a fire that broke out in a century old home in the Town of Nichols claimed the life of 79-year old Carolyn (Bean) Donnelly, and left 81-year old Nathan (Mickey) Donnelly with 1st and 2nd degree burns on 30 percent of his body.

But the burns, according to Mickey’s son Kevin Donnelly, will heal - the emotional toll may take much longer.

Kevin Donnelly was up late working in the family’s barn on the evening of Feb. 25, 2010 when he was alerted by his neighbors, Mike and Karen Jones, that there were flames shooting from his father’s nearby home.

Kevin recalled dropping everything and running over to the home, which was heavily engulfed in flames. "My first reaction was shear terror," said Kevin. "The wind was very strong that night and was going in the wrong direction," he added.

Kevin also explained what was happening inside the home where his father and mother were sleeping. According to Kevin, his father had gotten his wife to bed and had fallen asleep on the couch, only a few feet away.

Carolyn was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2006, and according to Kevin her health was deteriorating - and she could no longer stand on her legs. In the months prior to the fatal fire, Kevin explained, they would have to pick their mother up to help her into a wheelchair - and then they would have to assist her back out of it.

This inability to stand or walk, according to Kevin, was the reason why she didn’t make it out of the home that evening. A coroner’s report released on Feb. 26, just one day after the fire, stated that Carolyn Donnelly died from smoke inhalation.

Kevin further explained that his father was awakened by the fire, but attempts to get his wife were useless because of the fast manner in which the flames were spreading through the home. The burns suffered by Mickey, according to Kevin, were all on his back side.

"He was burned on the back of his ears, the back of his arms, and on his back and the back of his legs," said Kevin.

Mickey Donnelly was released from Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa. last Saturday, and is currently staying with his daughter, Janet Schuster, in her home in Williwana, Pa. According to Kevin, his father is very well aware of what has happened, and is in a lot of pain physically right now because of the burns.

But his emotional state - following the loss of his wife and the home they resided in for 51 years - will take time to tell, according to Kevin. The late 1800’s home where Carolyn and Mickey Donnelly resided also served as a Dairy Farm, with 80 cows housed on the farm for milking at the time of the tragedy.

And although Mickey has not returned to the barn since the tragic fire, Kevin thinks that it won’t be long before he does so. "Knowing my dad, he’ll be back down," said Kevin. "It’s the only semblance of normalcy he has left."

And Ruth Strong, a farmer in Nichols who knew Carolyn for many years through her affiliation with the Tioga County Dairy Princess program agreed. "You have to do the normal things to be able to deal with the abnormal," said Strong of Kevin’s prospect that his dad will soon return to the barn.

But Strong, like many others in and outside of the farming community, referred to Carolyn Donnelly as the matriarch of the community. "Carolyn was one of those people where if you needed something done she would do it," said Strong.

Carolyn and Nathan (Mickey) Donnelly moved to Nichols, N.Y. from Potterville, Pa. 51 years ago, and in 1964 they formed the Tioga County Dairy Princess program. Strong referred to Carolyn Donnelly as the backbone of the Dairy Princess program in Tioga County.

"If you need someone to do something," said Strong, "you find someone who is busy." "Anything that is needed to be done, she was right there with us," Strong added.

Carolyn Donnelly was recently awarded "Person of the Year" for her work with the Dairy Princess program. Carolyn Donnelly also served as an Elections Inspector for Tioga County, and served as a 4-H Leader.

"She was always a positive person," said Kevin Donnelly of his mom. "She was warm and loving, and never complained."

Carolyn Donnelly is survived by her husband Nathan (Mickey), son Kevin Donnelly of Nichols, N.Y., son Darryl Donnelly of Stevensville, Pa., her daughter Janet (Donnelly) Schuster of Willawana, Pa., six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The family is also asking that any memorials be sent to either the Owego Fire Department, Nichols Fire Department or Tioga Center Fire Department in her memory.

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