By Emily Carson
News Editor
Born in 1940, Caryl Winship spent most of his life in Olean. Before his death on Sunday, Winship and his family affected the lives of students, faculty and staff on campus through his regular visits to The Warming House.
Bonaventure students have been serving the community through their work with the soup kitchen since the 1980s, according to the University’s website.
Graduate student Michael Gargano planned last night’s memorial dinner on campus for Winship’s family. Gargano said he had the opportunity to get to know Winship and his wife Gail during the last three years of being a coordinator at The Warming House.
“From the very first day, I could tell Caryl was a truly peaceful man of simple words and profound gestures,” Gargano said.
Gargano explained Caryl and his wife had been married for more than 30 years and he had two children from a previous marriage. However, at The Warming House, they were known as “mom and dad.”
“Their love for one another was a model of dedication to one’s spouse, even through the darkest of times,” he said. “Gail faithfully pushed Caryl to meals at The Warming House and arranged his doctors’ appointments.”
Diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Winship experienced many emergency room visits and health problems. Gargano remembers him as someone who still managed to appreciate life.
“He approached life as a youngster and was always ready to tell a joke or something that would make you smile,” he said. “In reflecting on my own encounters with him, his gentleness and his inability to speak ill of others was always something that stood out for me.”
Gargano said he decided to plan the memorial dinner to honor the memory of a man who made his home and family at the Warming House.
“I was called to plan this event to honor the dignity of someone who taught me lessons about myself and life and whom I respected deeply and cared for as a guest,” he said. “There is a passage in the scriptures of many great religions of the world which, loosely written, says ‘If you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for your Father in heaven.’ It is important to honor those among us, even those who might appear to have less than us.”
Winship also impacted other students over the years.
Senior Marissa Douglas has been volunteering at The Warming House for the past two years, where she got to know Winship and his family.
“Caryl was a very sick man and struggled through a lot,” she said. “Every day during announcements we would share information about Caryl on how well he is recovering or to keep him in our prayers for successful recovery,” she said. “He brought a lot of spirit to those around him and to other guests in The Warming House.”
Senior Patrick Alfonso, who has also volunteered at The Warming House for the past two years, remembers Winship as someone who always kept up his own spirits.
“He would show off portraits from his days as a handsome young fellow, and would do little pranks — sneaking up on me to run his finger up my spine and send shivers with it, was a favorite he liked to pull on me,” he said.
Most people who knew Winship described him as a fighter.
“No matter how sick he became, over the course of the last three years, he always had a smile on his face and always managed to pull through and live another day,” Gargano said. “The lesson learned from this was always fight the good fight, will to live, and live life to its fullest because you never know when it will end.”
