Town leaders fondly remember Andrew Carey
Jan. 10—WINDHAM — Those who knew former state representative and longtime local politician Andrew Carey III remember him as someone who was fair and respectful.
Carey, who lived in South Windham, died at 79 on New Year's Eve.
" He was authentic," Windham Mayor Thomas DeVivo said. "He encouraged people to have their own opinions."
A service was held in Carey's memory at the Windham Center Cemetery on Friday.
Carey, who grew up in Windham, served as state representative in the 70s and 80s. He also served on the Windham Board of Selectmen and Windham Board of Finance, as well as serving as president of the Windham First Taxing District Board of Directors. Carey was a member of the Board of Finance for many years.
"Andy was always budget conscious and did not like to spend the taxpayers' money unless it needed to be done," said former Windham Mayor Ernest Eldridge, who was a good friend of Carey's. "He was adamant about that."
He said Carey was a "super guy" who supported his campaigns for mayor. Carey served as co- chairman of the ad- hoc senior/ community center building committee with DeVivo, as well as a member of the Windham Water Pollution Control Authority. He was a graduate of Windham High School and Eastern Connecticut State College, which is now known as Eastern Connecticut State University.
"He never forgot his roots in the town of Windham," DeVivo said.
Carey, Eldridge, John Lescoe and others met for breakfast for years, during which they discussed town issues.
"They were from all different walks of life with all kinds of different ideas and beliefs," said Paulann " Bunny" Lescoe, John Lescoe's wife, who now lives in Florida. " That was the nice thing about it. They always respected each other and hashed out a lot of solutions at that breakfast."
John Lescoe, a Windham native who died in 2015, was a state representative, as well as a Windham first selectman and Willimantic mayor.
"Our lives crossed paths every now and then but Johnny and Andy became very very close when Andy was in the state legisla-
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