from the USTA Communications Department
Columbus, OH — Carroll Jane Tiernan, 75, died July 27, 2017, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine, after five years of bravely fighting ovarian cancer.
She was born in Essex Fells, N.J., on June 23, 1942, to Louise D. and Charles Wallace Tiernan, and was the eldest of six children. She graduated from the Kimberley School in 1960 in Montclair, N.J., and received a B.A. from Skidmore College in 1964.
From an early age, she had a love for horses and showed competitively in many equestrian events, including winning a blue ribbon in the Large Pony Hunter Division at The National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden. In the mid-1960s, she moved to Westmoreland, N.H., and bought a small farm where she stabled her horses, raised chickens and found her love of gardening.
During this time, she worked as clerk of course and program director on the New England circuit for harness racing at Hinsdale, Foxboro, Rockingham and Scarborough.
Her love of nature and especially the ocean inspired her to eventually settle in Scarborough in 1980. Soon after, she began to work for Scarborough Marsh Nature Center as the store manager. She had a special connection to the people and the place. Her enthusiasm was contagious as she welcomed all visitors with her smile and outgoing personality.
In 1985, she moved her office to Maine Audubon at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth, where she worked for 32 years until the time of her death. Officially, she was in charge of retail sales for all of Maine Audubon and was the facility rental manager. Unofficially, she volunteered untold hours to every aspect of the organization and was a dedicated organizer for the annual juried craft fair, Apple Days and the Peony Ice Cream Social, among other events.
In her later years, she developed a love for yoga, participated in a drumming circle, and was the president of the Southern Maine Volkssport Association and completed numerous organized walks across the country.
Her happiest moments, though, were any activity involving her grandchildren, Jack and Stella, such as berry picking in the summer. Fall was a particularly favorite time, when she would tour New England to visit numerous agricultural and craft fairs.
She will be fondly remembered for her love of all things purple, her warm smile, and celebrating every holiday to the utmost with decorations, gifts and cards for those around her. Her high school yearbook noted she was known for her loyalty, thoughtfulness, grace and humor. Over 50 years later, her family and wide circle of friends would agree those words ring truer now than ever.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Pillsbury; and sister, Christine. She is survived by her son, Gerard; grandchildren, Jack and Stella; brothers, Charles, Richard and Tim; sister, Susan Madrigan; stepchildren, Kevin Pillsbury, Pam Murphy, and Helen Aliot; and numerous step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Sept. 24 at Maine Audubon, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd., Falmouth, at noon. A short ceremony will be followed by a potluck luncheon and gathering to remember her.
Memorial contributions will kindly be accepted for the Carroll J. Tiernan Meditation Garden to be created at Gilsland Farm as an enduring reminder of her kind nature and as a peaceful and beautiful addition to the place she loved so much. Please make checks payable to Maine Audubon, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth, ME 04105. Include a note for “Carroll’s meditation garden” to contribute towards building a space in her memory. You may also give online at http://maineaudubon.org/support and include “Carroll’s meditation garden” in the comments section.