Pamela Carmody

1933 - 2025

Pamela Mary Marion Helena Carmody, who had three middle names due to her father's error on her birth certificate, was born on July 28, 1933, in Melbourne, Australia, and passed away surrounded with love and gentle goodbyes from her family on October 10, 2025, aged 92, at her daughter's home in San Rafael, CA. Though they say you can't take anything with you, she managed to take all of her fabulous, still-natural strawberry blonde hair, of which she was very proud.

Pamela spent her youth going to school but left as soon as she could to earn money for herself and her family. She was soon "discovered" and began modeling at the age of 17. She appeared in newspapers, magazines, television, was a sample model, did runway shows, and then began teaching modeling and etiquette. Her adventures were many and she would share them with laughter and a sparkle in her eye. She was "locally famous" and enjoyed all the privileges that came with having a face and a name.

In early 1964, she decided to see the world and so set sail on the SS Canberra ocean liner for San Francisco. So excited to see the USA, which was the dream of all Aussies at the time, she was informed that they were passing under the Golden Gate Bridge. Everyone went outside to see this glorious, world-famous wonder, but looking up, all they saw was white (thank you, Karl the Fog). Unfortunately, she also caught pneumonia while on board. While visiting and staying with friends in Sacramento, from her sick bed as she recovered, she could see a handsome man who would sit out at the apartment complex pool. As soon as she was well enough, she went out and sat on a lawn chair and looked as cool as she could in her bikini (when, in those days, one pieces were all that were worn in Sacramento). Naturally this man, Robert, paid this glamorous foreigner the attention she was hoping for, and after wining and dining her and a brief courtship, they married in December 1964. So much for seeing the rest of the country; Sacramento, and then Carmichael, became her new home.

Their daughter Sondra arrived in 1967 and Pamela's new role as mother, or "mum," became her life's work for a few years. Fashion and teaching called her back into modeling and opening her own "charm school," which she taught out of three Sears locations from 1973 until 2001. In that time, she taught literally thousands of teen and pre-teen girls all about manners, posture, fashion, modeling, haircare, skin care, and the importance of a well-written thank you note, just to name a few. A common line she would say was "they won't listen to their mothers on these things, but they will listen to me." She was beloved in this role and still had students reaching out and visiting her up until literally 2 days before her passing (looking at you, darling Kendra, her most cherished student and young friend).

Her years in Sacramento were also filled with adventure and dozens of amazing friends. A highlight was her multi-year participation in Jesuit High School's former annual musical fundraiser, Spring Fling. The Flingers, as the performers called themselves, were a lively and amazingly fun group that partied all the time but were classy and committed to fundraising and family. They would joke that when they passed away, they would be buried in a special lot in one Flinger's huge backyard and call it "Thy Flingdom Come."

One of Pamela's favorite things was traveling with her daughter, especially to Australia to show off all her old haunts and to find some new ones. The side-splitting laughs and adventures that ensued were irreplaceable, and some, unmentionable. She also reveled in visiting her in San Francisco and winning everyone over with the indomitable combination of her class, charm, and Aussie accent. In recent years, she gave her family the best gift by handwriting the story of her life, starting with the 1930s and detailing each decade, and even optimistically leaving a tab and blank pages for the 2030s.

She is predeceased by her husband Robert (2001) and her four brothers and sisters. She leaves behind her adoring daughter Sondra Lewis, her husband Craig, and their children Shane and Sydney. She is also survived by her niece Pam Wilkie, her namesake, in Australia, her husband David, and their daughter Amber. She also leaves six stepchildren (Adrienne, Kathy, Marian, Bob, Kevin, and Theresa), and their families. She is also missed by her special friend of 20 years, David Macias, who was an incredible companion and giver of care and love. Finally, she leaves behind a treasure trove of amazing friends that she has collected like gems all along the way and who are also precious to her daughter because they so loved her.

Missed beyond belief, but love transcends and persists. A celebration of life will be planned at a later date.