Our beloved Carmen has set off on her next adventure. Wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, colleague, Carmen blessed us all with her presence. Her generosity, kindness—her fun-loving-up-for-anything-ness—made her irresistible. Despite failing health, she never lost those qualities. Yes, Carmen was a force. And she powered through her illness in inimitable Carmen style. If you know the song “Here’s To Life” by Shirley Horn, you’ll remember the lines: “As long as I’m still in the game/I want to play/For laughs, for life, for love.” That was certainly Carmen’s approach this past year. She loved to plan lunches, dinners, drinks (shout-out to the Bamboo Lounge), road trips, afternoons at the beach, walks in the forest, even a helicopter tour. She was, in effect, surrounding herself with the people she loved. She showed us how it’s done. Her final triumph? A heroic exit. Off she went. Her terms. Her way. Our darling Carmen. Lionheart. “Here’s to life. Here’s to love. Here’s to you.”
Thanks again to family and friends for all the love and support. We are also grateful for the exceptional medical care Carmen received from BC Cancer and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. Special thanks to Dr. Milivi Tiislar and dear friends Nikki Moyles and Robyn Smith.
Memorial contributions may be made to BC Cancer or Make-A-Wish Canada. In keeping with Carmen’s wishes, we will scatter her ashes in East Sooke Park on February 3rd (weather permitting). Join us in June to celebrate Carmen’s life. Details for both events to follow.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
26 Responses
My heartfelt condolences go out to you Demetri, her family and her many friends. I am blessed to know Carmen’s friendship, love and her fun-loving attitude. Few in this world can match her energy, class and warmth. She continues to inspire me. So long dear friend. Until we meet again.
We are so distressed to hear of Carmen’s death. We have so many memories of our years in Calgary when our children were such great friends.
Our sympathy and love go to Gayle,Fred,Margo and Geg.
The Clyde family
Melbourne Australia
To Gayle and Fred and extended family,
I’ve just read of Carmen’s passing.
Deepest condolences from Bob and me. An unimaginable loss.
Cathy Martin.
Deep and sincere condolences. It’s hard to believe such a wonderful person is gone. She was such a bright light and a positive force in the world.
Carmen was a truly special friend and words cannot begin to describe how heartbroken I am.
I met Carmen on my first day of work at HSM in 2013 and we became fast friends. Her outgoing personality, beautiful smile, sense of humor and generous spirit were evident from the first minute. We shared a love of nature and the great outdoors and spent many hours walking the dogs in parks and on beaches all over the island. In no time she introduced me to a group of friends who all embraced me as part of the gang which I’ll forever be grateful for. Carmen had the biggest heart and was one in a million and the “Here’s to Life” song lyrics seem to be written just for her. Rest in peace my friend, until we meet again. My condolences to Demetri, Fred, Gayle, Gracie and family.
So many words come to mind to describe Carmen – loveable, graceful, a force to be reckoned with, big hearted, adventurous and above all fun! We worked together at ScotiaMcLeod more than 20 years ago and became fast friends. I always loved talking to Carmen because she lived life deeply and had a gift of not only seeing, but also being able to express the truth. Even though our lives over the years went in different directions we remained connected. Thank you Carmen for your wisdom and your light. You will be missed!
Sending love and hugs to you Demetri and your family❤️