The legacy of great artists, unlike most professions, is the work that they leave behind. Such is the case of Carmen Willey, shown in a recent photo producing the art that will be treasured well beyond her recent passing at age 106.

Carmen was born in Houston, Texas in May of 1918. Her first experience as an artist was entering a drawing contest that she saw in a magazine when she was 9 years old. She was told then that she had real potential, but unlike most children who received similar responses – with Carmen they were spot on.

She continued to draw and studied art at Texas Women's College in Denton, Texas. The war ended her formal college education at that time, and she married Harold Willey and had three children. She continued painting while they changed locations for several years – finally settling down outside of Richmond, Texas. While in Richmond, she helped found the first Ft. Bend County Art League and studied under several artists at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston - including, Buck Schweitz and Guido Fulunynot. She also became interested in architectural drawing and went on to be commissioned to paint many of the unique and historical homes in Fort Bend County.

After retirement Carmen and Harold moved to Colorado and traveled extensively in Yucatan Mexico, the West Coast, Canada, Alaska and throughout the Southwest. They became docents at the local Escalante Museum in Delores, Colorado and worked on archaeological digs with the archaeologists. Carmen made sketches of many of the findings in the digs, and she continued to paint beautiful Colorado landscapes.

Carmen and Harold moved back to Texas and settled in Canyon Lake 30 years ago. She joined the Canyon Lake Art Guild and has enjoyed the comradery with fellow artists ever since. She has been a prolific painter and has created hundreds of paintings in all mediums, watercolor, oils, pastel, pen and ink, ceramics, acrylics, and charcoal.

She was preceded by her beloved husband Harold.

Carmen has three children – Wendell Willey of Austin, Texas; Anita Kersch of Staunton, Virginia; and Carrie Willey of Canyon Lake, Texas – five grand-children Chris, Yvette, Andrew, Carmen, Aaron - four great grand-children Jake, Taylor, Mathew, Verity.

A Celebration of Life service will be held in her honor at Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home, Sattler, Texas on May 10th at 11:00 AM.

in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to St. Jude Children's Hospital or your favorite cause.