After a short time with a broken shoulder, Letha Mae Wood Carmean passed away on Dec. 8, 2024 in Lompoc, California, her home of 65 years. She is survived by her three children and three grandchildren.
Born and raised “on the mound” in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1932, Letha Mae had a small-town childhood. Daughter of Walter Wood, a machinist, hog butcher and mechanic; and Lela Martin, a homemaker from a rural family of 10.
Letha’s first years were marked by the Great Depression and World War II-era rationing.
The victory garden tradition was carried on by Letha well into her 80s; she loved to tend her flowers and enjoy apples from the heirloom tree.
A graduate of William Jewel College, the library and literacy were a major focus of her life. Regular trips to the library maxed out our library cards and gave us lifelong skills.
A lover of power tools and camping at Refugio Beach, Letha was an administrative assistant at Martin Marrieta and the Army Core of Engineers as they built Space Shuttle Launch Complex 6 (SLC6) in the 1970s and ’80s.
Letha enjoyed woodworking, and was proud of the cabinets, bookshelves and bed she made over the years. Practical to the core, her pickup truck was always ready for a project or adventure.
Married to Sidney Ross Carmean for 51 years, Letha raised three boys David, Jack and Doug; sliced oranges; drove to pinewood derby races; and cruised Lompoc with her kids’ surf racks still attached to the car.
Her favorite time was near a campfire with a Thermos of coffee and a list of letters to write to friends and family.
She surprised us all, training late in life in family counseling and addiction studies. She volunteered at the rape crisis shelter and taught rag-rug making at the senior center near her home. Her wit and sarcasm were always at the ready for a laugh and support.
Letha will be missed by Doug and PJ Carmean, Clark Carmean, Jack Carmean, Reg and Nancy Wood, Marty and Kim Wood, and all of her extended Illinois family.
Her grandchildren, Margo, Amber and Jessup, all carry her glint in their eyes and her Martin-Wood heritage into a bright future built on her risk taking and adventurous spirit.
She will be missed.