Mary Margaret Carmichael

Mary Margaret Mueller Carmichael died peacefully on March 6, 2020 at the age of 86. She and her husband `Skip’ enjoyed living in retirement at Kendal of Ithaca since 2011. `MM’ was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Theodore A. and Mary C.B. Mueller.

She attended public schools in Washington and graduated with highest honors from Woodrow Wilson High School. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at First Trinity Church, in the heart of the Nation’s Capital. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. degree and then taught home economics in Sandy Springs, Maryland. In 1956, she enrolled in the Graduate School of Cornell University where she received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 1959 and 1961, respectively. In 1957, her and her beloved Leland E. (‘Skip’) Carmichael, DVM, University of California, Davis, were married and both continued in graduate school. MM joined the faculty of Home Economics at Cornell until the birth of their first son. She then held research positions in the Social Sciences at Cornell and, later, joined the Graduate School staff as Coordinator of Publications, Statistics, and Webmaster. She was honored (1964) as a 60-year member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and has held positions in state and local groups. She is a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Ithaca. While MM lived at Kendal she enjoyed her many friends and activities. Special interests included line dancing, water aerobics, the Borg-Warner pool, and cross-country skiing. She always looked forward to the annual `Wimmin Swimmin’ event where she was a sponsor and `rescurer’.

She is survived by her husband, `Skip’ Carmichael and their three sons, Daniel and his wife Margaret Ann and grandson, Thomas; Paul and his wife, Randi, and grandchildren Sarah and Benjamin; John and his wife Jennifer and granddaughters Cigi and Amber. Kathy Eliason and her husband, Peter, have given special comfort to MM and Skip for many years, serving as `surrogate children’. Kathy and Pete Eliason’s son, `TJ’ (Thomas Joseph), is our Godson and MM regarded all of Kathy and Peter’s children as family. She also had many cherished friends. MM’s brother-in law, Gary Carmichael, his wife, Susan, and their boys, David and Todd, are as our children. Ann Coyne, a special friend of more than 64 years, gave loving care to MM until the hour of her passing. Special thanks to Pastors Laurie Carson, Robert Foote and the wonderful nurses at Kendal.

The funeral will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church on Thursday, March 12 at 4:00 pm. Transportation will be provided to the service from the parking lot at the East Hill Plaza beginning at 3:15 pm until 3:45 pm and returning to the lot immediately following the service Burial will be at a later date at East Lawn Cemetary. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St Luke’s Lutheran Church, Ithaca, NY, Trinity Lutheran Church, Ithaca, NY, or to a charity of one’s choice. Bangs Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Thursday, March 12, 2020 4:00 PM

St. Luke's Lutheran Church 109 Oak Avenue Ithaca, NY 14850