Carmen B. Carney

Carmen Belle Carney, of Lakewood, Colorado died peacefully at the Denver Hospice in Denver, Colorado on February 27, 2015, at age 84, after having a hemorrhagic stroke. Carmen was born on December 9, 1930 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Carmon and Ruth Wilkins. She had one brother, Roland who preceded her in death. She married Glen H. Smith in 1949, in the Salt Lake City, LDS Temple. They were both members of the same LDS Ward in Salt Lake City. They had two sons, Scott and Tracy. Carmen began her first career as a stay-at-home mother, caring for the two lively boys. Glen was a University of Utah college graduate at 20. Glen went on to become an aerospace engineer and worked extensively on the guidance and space systems for Martin and Rockwell. Glen passed away at age 42 of cancer and Carmen became a young widow. She began a second career by attending nursing school, earning her RN, and then cared for patients at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, CA. She subsequently fell in love and married Ray Carney, a widower himself and a friend of Glen's. He was also an aerospace engineer. They were married on May 30, 1977. Ray worked extensively on the first Mars Rover Mission for Martin at JPL. Carmen moved from Orange, California to Denver, Ray's longtime home. They built a life together that spanned the next 37 years. In Denver, Carmen began a third career as a talented and artistic florist. Carmen's enduring avocation, however, was the theater. She loved directing stage productions; Broadway musicals, drama and Church productions for performance at the LDS Church she attended. Her productions were always polished and professional and allowed many in her community to experience the ""stage"" for the first time. Her greatest passion was her family who she loved and adored. Carmen is survived by her husband Ray Carney, two sons, Scott and Tracy Smith, two stepchildren, Sherri Windle, Jeff Carney and their spouses. She is Grandma to 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She will be missed greatly by her family and friends. A service for Carmen will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2015, 11:00 AM, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 910 W. Ridge Road, Littleton, CO 80120. A visitation will be held at the Church from 10:00-10:45 AM. Burial will be held March 14, 2015 at the Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, California.