Mabel Jilcott CarnesBorn in North Carolina in 1927 Growing up, I thought everyone had a mother like mine. Only after I moved to California and heard my friends talk about their mothers did I understand how exceptional mine was. Her philosophy was, “Do unto others as you want them to do unto you,” and she has lived it everyday of her life. My mother is the kindest person I know: loving, giving, and completely supportive of me in all of my endeavors. Whenever I fell down, she was always there to pick me up and make me feel better. Her support has never wavered. She married young and was the only one in her family of seven children who didn’t go to college or a professional school. She made sure that her four children got good educations. We were born on a farm in North Carolina where the neighborhood school had few students. My mother bought a house in Norfolk, VA, where we lived during the week so that we could attend school there. Once we were enrolled, my mother volunteered her services for all the school events and helped out in the nurse’s office. My mother never hesitated to act when she believed someone had been wronged. Whether it was a school coach treated unfairly or a school supervisor transferred against her will, she marched into City Hall to defend them. My mother knew everyone in politics in Virginia so when she spoke up, politicians paid attention. It was often said in Virginia, “You can’t be elected in this state without knowing Mabel Carnes.” My mother’s biggest gift was telling me that I could do anything I wanted to do--and I believed her. With her encouragement, I got a B.A. and M. A. at Old Dominion University and graduated with honors. After I retired from teaching school, I started my own production company to raise funds for politicians, and later started another business, Chris Carnes List Online Marketing. I credit my mother for all the successes and triumphs I’ve had in my life. Following in her footsteps, I have been involved in politics and the community my whole adult life. When people ask me why I sit on so many boards, I tell them that I learned from my mother that giving is not a choice; it’s part of what you do in life. I consider myself the luckiest woman in the world to have Mabel Carnes as my mother.
Honored by Chris Carnes |
