Theos-Talk Archives (April 2004 Message tt00655)

-----Original Message-----
From: James Ajemian [mailto:jajemian@mail.sdsu.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 12:45 PM
To: eldon@theosophy.com
Cc: kensmall@earthlink.net
Subject: For Eldon from Ken re Carmen Small passing

Carmen Helena Small - July 6, 1918 - April 21, 2004


Carmen Helena Small was born in a small house at the Point Loma Theosphical 
Community July 6, 1918. Her parents Axel and Gerda Fick had come from 
Sweden, with her mother and uncle drawn to the United States to study 
naturopathic medicine and Theosophy and her father drawn to Point Loma's 
Theosophical practice and vision. Carmen's birth was an auspicious event 
for the community as it was on Katherine Tingley's birthday, which was 
suitably delayed awaiting her afternoon arrival. A few years later, the 
Welsh fantasy fiction writer, poet, and essayist Kenneth Morris who resided 
at the community would dedicate his 'Dragon Path' stone/garden pathway 
with exotic and native plants to Carmen. She grew up through all the years 
of Raja Yoga schooling with its broad and all encompassing education and 
excelled in music - piano and chorus - which, many years later, she 
would teach in her vocation 25 years working in the public elementary 
schools in San Diego. During her high school time she was able to go to 
Sweden for high school, quickly becoming fluent in Swedish, though advised 
by G. DePururcker on tour in Europe in 1937 to "not wait too long'" to 
return to Point Loma, she followed his prescient view of the coming 
European war. Returning to the Point Loma Community, she then married 
Emmett Small in 1939. The forties brought radical changes, the dispersal of 
the wondered community from Point Loma and then further internal conflicts 
within the society that would by the end of the decade and early 1950's 
bring Emmett and herself with their three children and both her mother and 
Emmett's mother to settle back in San Diego and enter the conventional 
working world. Raising family, and later elementary school teaching filled 
the years, followed by retirement and then more volunteer work with The San 
Diego Natural History Museum, The Point Loma Assembly and many other 
groups. With Emmett's advancing age, she also would become the president of 
Point Loma Publications, managing all the aspects of publishing and 
distributing through the 1990's. During her final year she had the 
wonderful support of friends and family. Her cheerful optimism and 
practical view she always enthusiastically shared with all. In her final 
days she was grateful to have hospice care and she finally entered
San Diego Hospice, where after five days, she
passed away peacefully on April 21, 2004.

There will be a memorial gathering at Point Loma. (The date will be 
announced in the next few weeks.) Donations in Carmen's name may be sent to 
Point Loma Publication, Inc. or to San Diego Hospice. Please send all 
communications c/o Point Loma Publications, Inc. P.O.Box 6507 San Diego 
Ca. 92166