Cherished Edgartown resident and educator, Shannon Gregory Carbon died unexpectedly on October 10, 2023. Her spirited presence and bright smile belied deepening struggles with depression from which she succumbed. To the uncountable people whose lives she touched, she is remembered for her boundless curiosity, humor and adventurous love of life.
Shannon Patricia Gregory was born in Watertown, N.Y. on Nov. 28, 1969. Her parents, Pat and Dorothy Gregory, moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1971. With Pat as a school teacher, the family quickly immersed itself in the Island community.
Shannon attended the West Tisbury School where she made friends easily, triumphed over the fastest boys during sprinting races and could read faster than almost everyone. A self-described “barn rat,” horses became her passion. She spent every free moment at the stable and riding the trails with her closest friends.
Each summer, her family would leave the Island for Hidden Valley Camp in Maine, and later Camp Monomonac in New Hampshire, where her parents served as camp directors. Shannon developed a wide repertoire of camp songs which she was known to share with unwitting audiences throughout her life. She had a beautiful singing voice and winning stage presence which led to starring roles in school musical productions such as a parent-written “Frankenstein Follies.”
She found joy in music, whether singing and bopping around her kitchen, impromptu sing-alongs with friends or as part of organized groups — a select choir in high school and an acapella singing group during college.
At Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School she excelled as a student, sang as part of Minnesingers, played field hockey and ran track as a hurdler. She spent her junior year attending school in Washington, D.C. while living with a close friend and her family. This boldness and desire to broaden her horizons remained throughout her life.
After graduating from the regional high school in 1987, Shannon attended Connecticut College in New London, Conn. Shannon formed many deep, life-long friendships during this period. During her junior year she studied in Madrid, Spain where her confidence, good ear and playfulness allowed her to thrive as a language learner. In addition to singing with Conn Chords, she was active in student government, serving as Parliamentarian her senior year.
After completing her studies in 1991, graduating cum laude with distinction in History and Hispanic Studies, Shannon joined Teach for America in its second year of operation. She was launched into a career in education as a bilingual first grade teacher at Benjamin Franklin Elementary school in West Altadena, Calif. She overcame incredible challenges as a brand new teacher in a resource-starved area of Los Angeles.
Following a two-year Teach for America commitment, she moved to New York City where she taught second, fifth and sixth grades at P.S. 6 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Her principal, Carmen Fariña, who later became Chancellor of Education for New York City, spoke highly of Shannon to a mutual acquaintance, describing her as one of the brightest, most talented young teachers she had ever worked with.
Shannon fully embraced the energy and opportunities of city life, developing a love of New York City which never left her. Together with good friends, she could be found taking in live music, exploring new restaurants and turning lots of heads while rollerblading in short shorts along the rivers of Manhattan.
In 1997, Shannon rejoined Teach for America as regional executive director tasked with establishing the program in Baton Rouge, La. Again she embraced the challenge of a new role and the culture of a different hometown through food, music and new friendships. Jazz Fest became a beloved tradition, one that drew friends and former classmates, among them Dan Carbon. They reconnected and fell in love.
As a young couple, Shannon and Dan moved to Porto, Portugal to start a new life together. Dan worked in the port wine business and Shannon taught at the international school Colégio Luso-Internacional do Porto. This was an exciting, fulfilling chapter which included purchasing a beloved, narrow, three-story traditional fisherman’s home. Shannon always laughed as she recalled how tight the neighboring homes were situated, opening a window to greet neighbors as they sat at their kitchen table. This total immersion led to proficiency in Portuguese and a deep appreciation for the culture. Their children, Jack and Bess, were born at a local hospital, in 2006 and 2008 respectively.
As the children grew older, Shannon and Dan longed to be closer to family and friends. In 2010 they chose to move back to their shared childhood home, Martha’s Vineyard; a place they wanted their children to call home as well. Dan joined Shannon’s parents in running the family business, EduComp, while Shannon resumed teaching and pursued a Master’s in Education Administration at UMASS, Lowell.
Her deep commitment as an educator impacted many of the Island’s youth. For over a decade she was a dedicated ELL teacher at the Tisbury School, supporting native Portuguese-speakers and developing deep ties to the Island’s Brazilian community. It was common for current and former students to see her out and about and joyfully call to her, with a friendly wave and an ear-to-ear smile.
Shannon adored her children. Through ups and downs, Jack and Bess were always the light in her life. She read and sang to them, gathered friends and their kids for carefree pot luck dinners and fits of laughter on the trampoline. She was widely known for family beach trips during which she would unveil, like a magician, an extraordinarily delicious and never-ending array of foods from an overflowing bag. She embedded in her children a love of family and friends, and nurtured an openness to experiencing the broad, rich world around them. Shannon never stopped learning, and shared this curiosity and thirst for knowledge with her children.
All who had the good fortune to know and interact with Shannon were lifted by her visible enthusiasm for the time spent together. There is a familiar quote that people “may forget what you say but they will never forget how you make them feel.” Shannon’s special gifts crystallized this life lesson. She will be remembered for cherishing colleagues, friends and family, sharing stories about them, proudly singing their praises and making connections among those she loved. She touched many lives both on and off the Island. One enduring contribution will be the scores of people who fondly recall how it felt to be within the reach of Shannon’s warm light and welcome smile.
She leaves behind many friends — too many to count. She is survived by her beloved teenage children, Jack and Bess Carbon; former husband Dan Carbon; her brother Tim Gregory, his partner Chelsea Vandenmeele and daughter, Jules, of Asheville, N.C; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins and nieces. She was predeceased by her mother, Dorothy May Lacombe, and her father, F. Patrick Gregory.
Donations in Shannon’s name can be made to Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at the West Tisbury Agricultural Hall on Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at 2 p.m., followed by a potluck.
