As former mayor of Farmingdale, and lifelong resident, Willis B. Carman, Jr., felt a deep calling to public service.
Carman served on the Farmingdale Village board for 22 years as Trustee, and an additional 8 years as Mayor. While in office, Carman accomplished the construction of the Hardscrabble Senior Citizens Complex, automating the village’s operations, and budgeting so there were three years of no tax increases.
His pride in the community led to establishment of a Beautification Committee responsible for planting trees and developing gardens throughout the village.
After 30 years of public service, Carman retired from office in 1992.
He was a Korean War veteran and graduate of Farmingdale High School, Hamilton college and Fordham Law School. He later took over his father’s law practice, which is today known as Carman, Callahan and Ingham, at 280 Main Street, where he worked each day alongside his son Bill, who is also an attorney.
A longtime member of the Farmingdale Rotary Club, he hosted many international students and businessmen over the years, and had even recruited new members as recently as a few months ago. He felt strongly about the values and the mission of Rotary and could be seen ringing the Rotary bell outside grocery stores each Christmas.
Carman was a Cub Scout leader, a member of the SUNY Farmingdale Board of Trustees, the Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society, the VFW and the Farmingdale Fire Department. He also enjoyed tennis, sailing, and playing the banjo.
Carman died on Oct. 2, 2013. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Hilda, his brother Judge Gregory W. Carman, his children, Dr. Laura L. Carman, Christina C. Black, Willis B. Carman and 8 grandchildren.
The family has asked that anyone wishing to send a memorial, donate to the Farmingdale Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 575, Farmingdale, NY, 11735.
