Lowell A. Carmony

Lowell A. Carmony, accomplished mathematician, educator and loving family member, died on Sept. 16, 2020. He was 77.

A longtime resident of Lake Forest, IL, and also more recently of Palm Coast, FL, Lowell was born on June 8, 1943 in Fort Wayne, IN. He graduated from Indiana University in 1964 with a major in mathematics and then received his master’s degree at UC Berkeley in 1966.

He followed in his father’s footsteps by being dedicated to the civil rights movement and taught multiple summers at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL. He worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and helped document their work. Read an article he wrote here on page 4 and 5 of the April 1970 issue of KPFO Folio by Pacifica Foundation.

Lowell met and married Patricia Maryland Smith in 1971. He then went on to hold the position as Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale while also completing his PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Lowell and Patty had three children, John ‘73, Kathryn ‘75, and Anne ‘77 along with an opinionated mutt, Cranberry. He took a position as a professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Lake Forest College (‘81-’00) and moved the family to Circle Drive in Lake Forest, IL.  There he was also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the Chicago Medical School in 1987.

He was an early founder of a computer camp for grade school children with his good friend and colleague, Robert Holiday, at Lake Forest College. Patty passed away in 1997.

In 1999 he married Marjory Manske and retired from Lake Forest College in 2000. He and Marge spent many years traveling together to China, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, and all over the United States. They also served as volunteer caretakers at national parks throughout the United States.

Lowell was known for his intelligence and curiosity, his wit and his loving personality. He studied Russian, German and Polish and published many articles and books throughout his career in the fields of mathematics, computers and electronic medical records. He and Marge loved bicycling and volunteering to help humans and animals. They adopted their dog Cubby Bear from the shelter where they volunteered.

Lowell served on the board of A Safe Place, a Lake County, IL, nonprofit serving those impacted by domestic violence, and Flagler Free Clinic, a Florida nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care. He also volunteered for 15 years with AARP doing free tax filings for seniors.

In addition to being predeceased by his first wife of 26 years, Patricia Maryland Carmony, he was predeceased by his son, John, and his parents, Edith and Donald Carmony.

Lowell will be lovingly remembered by: his wife, Marge Manske, his brother, Duane Carmony and his two daughters Diane and Debbie, his children, Kathryn Finch and her husband, Christopher, Anne Tropp, and her husband, Tom; Stepchildren, Chris Lies and her husband Mike, Stacee Groff and her husband Seth, and his grandchildren, Andrew, Landry, Patterson, Hope, Beatrix, and Katie.

A celebration of Lowell’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to A Safe Place, Domestic Violence Shelter in Zion, IL. https://asafeplaceforhelp.org/ or Flagler Free Clinic, Bunnell, Fl 32110, http://flaglerfreeclinic.org/donate/donate.html