Gregory Wright Carman

Honorable Gregory Wright Carman

Judge Gregory Wright Carman passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 5, 2020.  Greg was born January 31, 1937 in Farmingdale, New York to Willis Burkard Carman and Marjorie Wright Sosa.  He grew up with his older siblings, Marcia and Willis. He is a twelfth-generation descendant of the early settlers of Long Island. 

Greg attended Farmingdale Public Schools and was graduated from Saint Lawrence University, Canton, NY with a B.A in government.  He had the distinction of being one of the first St. Lawrence University students to be selected as a national exchange student at the University of Paris. 

Shortly after receiving his undergraduate degree in 1958, Greg joined the Army and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.  While still in the Army, he received a Juris Doctor Degree from St. John’s University Law School in 1961. At St. Johns University, he was a member of the Law Review and the U.S. Attorney’s Honors Program.  He was an honors graduate of the Judge Advocate Program of the University of Virginia Law School and at New York University Law School he pursued a Masters in Tax Law.

Carman was awarded the Army Commendation for Military Service, the Army’s second highest peacetime award, as a result of his performance while serving in the office of the Staff Judge Advocate, 2nd Division, Fort Benning, Georgia.  He was certified to practice at General Courts Martial since 1962.  He was discharged honorably from the Army with the rank of Captain in 1964.

He received his license to practice law in 1961 and has since been admitted to practice before all of the courts in the State of New York and the Supreme Court of the United States.  

Greg returned to Long Island to practice law with his father and brother in Farmingdale and became a partner in the family firm, now known as Carman, Callahan and Ingham, LLP.  

As a concerned member of the community and a dedicated supporter of philanthropic causes, Greg was a Charter Trustee and former President of the Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society, served as the 1977/78 President of the Farmingdale Rotary Club, as a District Committee member of the Nassau Council of Boy Scouts of America, Vice Chair of the Paumanok Scout District and as a member of the Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department. 

He became active in public life and served as a Councilman on the Town of Oyster Bay Town Board from 1972 until 1980 when he was elected to the United States Congress to represent the Third Congressional District.  He served one term as a US Congressman and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the Court of International Trade as a Federal Court Judge in 1983. During his thirty-two-year tenure on the court, he served twice as Chief Judge, taking senior status in 2015. 

In the words of the former Clerk of the Court Tina Potuto Kimble in 2016, “Judge Carman was a visionary leader for the Court.  He served as gentle mentor for many of our managers, and I have heard other judges remark on the invaluable guidance they received from him over the years.  Therefore, this Clerk of Court has only two words for a former Chief Judge who left an indelible mark on all who touched the CIT; thank you.” 

Gregory was married to Nancy Elizabeth Endruschat from June 29, 1959 to 1984 and together raised three sons Gregory Jr, John, James and daughter, MiRa.

On August 26, 1994, Gregory married Judith Scheff Dennehy gaining her three wonderful daughters Elizabeth, Kathleen and Dierdre.  

Gregory is predeceased by his wife Judith of twenty-one years and survived by Gregory Jr. (Lina) their children Gregory III (Erin) and Emily; John (Susan) their children Colette, Isabel and Juliette; James (Eva) their children Samuel and Katherine; MiRa (Michael) and her children Venton and Roman; Elizabeth (James) Lancaster their children Jack and William; Kathleen (Andrew) Hussey and their daughter Clementine; Deirdre (Richard) Basile and their children Hannah, Molly, Olivia and Lucy.

    Due to the pandemic, the family hopes to have a gathering with family and friends in the months ahead to celebrate his life.  The family is grateful to everyone for their expressions of sympathy. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to The Hagedorn Little Village School in Seaford at www.littlevillage.org and to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation at www.Parkinson.org. Arrangements entrusted to Arthur F. White Funeral Home, Inc. 

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