Carl M. Binney of Logansport, IN has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved him.
Here is the shape of a life remembered with love.
Years are made of mornings, and mornings of moments.
Carl M. Binney, 60, Logansport, passed away early Sunday morning, May 3, 2026, in the IU University Hospital, Indianapolis, following a courageous battle with cancer.
Born October 13, 1965, in Fort Belvoir, Fairfax County, Virginia, he was the son of the late Don and Carol S. (Myers) Binney.
A 1984 graduate of Logansport High School, Carl found his home early in the LHS techie program at the McHale Performing Arts Center. Under the guidance of his mentor, Ken Fraza, he started like most freshmen do-putting in hours in the scene shop, learning the craft piece by piece, and working his way toward becoming a Thespian. By his later years of high school, he had already become part time staff and served as McHale's sound engineer.
He didn't know it then, but those early days would shape the rest of his life. After a semester at Vincennes, Carl returned home and stepped into the role that became his life's work: volunteer Assistant Technical Director at McHale, a position he began in January 1985 and held with dedication for decades.
Over the years, Carl lent his steady hands and sharp technical mind to countless productions-high school shows, Performing Arts Council road performances, Civic Players, and Junior Civic Theatre. He supervised rigging, built scenery, offered technical guidance, and taught generations of student techies the skills he had mastered, always emphasizing safety, respect, and pride in the work.
His expertise extended beyond Logansport. Soon after the Honeywell Center opened in Wabash, Carl became one of their regular riggers, contributing to major productions there for 12 years. Whether he was up in the rafters or behind a soundboard, Carl was the kind of person who made a show run smoothly-often without ever being seen.
His quiet dedication did not go unnoticed. In 2010, Carl received the prestigious "Pillar of the Community" award. The following year, he was honored with the Cass County Arts Alliance "Unsung Hero" Award, presented by his longtime mentor and friend, Ken Fraza. Carl's impact at McHale lives on in a special way. Since 2019, the Carl Binney Award is presented to students who show exceptional dedication to the McHale Tech Crew. Recipients of this award are the ones who spend countless hours in the PAC, learning, building, troubleshooting, and giving their all-just as Carl did. Among the crew, it's known affectionately as the "Blood, Sweat, and Tears Award," a fitting tribute to the work ethic and heart Carl poured into every production.
Carl never sought applause, but he earned it in the way that matters most-through a lifetime of service, craftsmanship, and heart. He wasn't one for the spotlight. He preferred the behind the scenes world where cables, cues, and quiet teamwork brought every performance to life. His work illuminated every stage he touched, and his legacy will echo long after the final curtain.
Outside the theater, Carl also carried on a proud family legacy as part of the third generation business, Tweedie Electric, founded many years ago by his grandfather, Carl "Tweedie" Myers. He started working for his grandfather when he was 14 years old. Carl had a natural mechanical mind-one of those rare people who could fix motors, engines, or anything electrical just by understanding how it should work. Whether it was a stage light or a stubborn piece of equipment in the shop, Carl had the gift of bringing things back to life.
Carl also had a soft spot for black Labs over the years. He now leaves behind Lucy-a Lab mix he rescued and adored. His beloved dog, Duke, an Anatolian shepherd, passed away recently.
Carl also spent time working on the Bob Myers pig farm near Clymers. What started as farm work grew into a genuine interest; he eventually invested in his own Yorkshire boar, which went on to sire many award winning offspring including ones shown by his sister, Gretchen, and his cousin, Neal. Carl was always willing to lend a hand, and he volunteered countless hours helping provide pigs for Hers in the Swine Project, making sure young exhibitors had a strong start.
A loving son, brother, and uncle, Carl treasured the time he spent with his family...especially when playing euchre and Hand & Foot card games. And somehow, even with his long hours at the theater and the family business, he still made room for a hobby that fascinated him-collecting Electric Lionel Trains in Scale 164, along with miniature semis in the same scale. It was a quiet joy that fit him perfectly: detailed, mechanical, and full of nostalgia.
Carl is survived by his brother, Mike Binney, Manhattan, IL; two sisters, Suzanne Binney, Avon, and Gretchen (Harriet) Binney, Eaton; and his nieces and nephews: Morgan Kesling Millard (Davis), Nathan (Kimi) Kesling, Avery Barnes, Jessica Binney (Justin Bailey), Samantha Binney, and Joshua (Jean) Binney and their children.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Mark Kesling.
A Funeral Service celebrating Carl's life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, May 11, 2023, in Fisher Funeral Chapel.
Viewing hours will be prior to the funeral, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Monday.
Carl will be laid to rest beside his mother in Mount Hope Cemetery following the service.
Memorial contributions may be made in Carl's memory to the Cass County Humane Society, the Endow-a-Chair fund at the McHale Performing Arts Center or the Cass County 4-H Swine Project. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel.
You may share memories, photographs and offer words of comfort to his family on Carl's Tribute Wall at www.fisherfuneralchapel.com
