Patricia Myrl "Pat" Carmony

April 13, 1931 - July 14, 2017

Patricia Myrl “Pat” Carmony passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 14, 2017. Pat was born on April 13, 1931, in Portland, Oregon, to Lowell Elbert “Elt” Palmer and Eugenia Squires Palmer, both teachers. She was raised in Baker City with her beloved older brother Fred and cherished younger sister Janis. Pat graduated from Baker City High School and from the University of Oregon where she also was active in drama and international relations. She earned her master's degree in library science from the University of California Berkeley. It was in Berkeley that Pat was introduced to Donald Duane Carmony who had just returned from a trip to Kenya. They were drawn together by a shared love of travel, culture, and nature and married on Dec. 29 1961, Pat and Duane’s oldest daughter, Patricia Diane, was born in Los Angeles in 1963. Their younger daughter, Debra Jean, was born in La Jolla in 1965. The couple relocated to West Lafayette, Indiana, when Duane accepted a position in the physics department at Purdue University. In Indiana, they spent weekends hiking in the woods and enjoying musical concerts at Purdue University and Indiana University. An avid reader, Pat was devoted to her book club. She remained active in progressive political causes throughout her life. The Carmonys frequently made day trips to Bloomington and Chicago and drove each summer across the country to Oregon to be with family. Pat held a love for Oregon her entire life. Her favorite places included Anthony Lake, Cannon Beach, Manzanita and anyplace with a view of Mount Hood or The Sisters. The maple tree at Baker City High School was originally in the Palmer family’s yard and has become a touchstone for all the Palmers. The family also lived near Munich, Germany in 1972-1973, during Duane’s sabbatical year. They also lived in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979-1980. Pat worked for many years at the Stewart Center Library and the Biochemistry Library at Purdue. In 2015, Pat and Duane moved to California to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. Throughout her life, Pat was passionate about nature, music, and animals. The Carmonys had many beloved pets as part of their family. They also loved the birds and wildlife around their home on Sumac Drive in West Lafayette. Pat is survived by Duane, who continues to reside at 1545 Pleasant Hill Road Apt. 122, Lafayette, CA, 94549 and welcomes correspondence. She also is survived by daughter Diane and partner Vikki Porter, daughter Debbie and husband, Raja Kadiyala, grandsons Owen, Ethan and Nick Kadiyala, sister Janis Taylor and husband Dick of Baker City, sister-in-law Linda Palmer of Baker City, brother-in-law Lowell Carmony and wife Marge, nephew Mike Palmer, nieces Kathryn Carmony Finch, Anne Carmony Tropp, Shelley Fox-Loken, Kim Lauterbach and many other loved ones. She was preceded in death by her brother Fred who passed away this year in Baker City. The family extends special thanks to the compassionate staff of Atria Park Lafayette and Vitas Healthcare and to all of Pat’s caregivers. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Nature Conservancy of Indiana, the American Civil Liberties Union, or Planned Parenthood.