Obituary: Peter E. Carmody

As received from the Jacobson Funeral Home: 

UPDATE: There will be a visitation on Friday, October 25th at Jacobson’s Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m. A funeral service will take place on Saturday, October 26th at the L’Anse Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Bonnie Billock officiating. A luncheon will follow the service in the church hall. The burial will be in the L’Anse Evergreen Cemetery. The Carmody family invites you to celebrate the lives of both Pete & Pat Carmody on October 26th at 6 p.m. at the L’Anse American Legion.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Peter E. Carmody, 82, of L’Anse, Michigan on Tuesday, August 27th at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. Dr. Carmody was born on July 31st, 1942, in Munising, Michigan, to parents Donald and Elsie (Niemi) Carmody. Dr. Carmody was one of four children. Dr. Carmody graduated from Manistee High School in 1960 where he was a football standout on the Manistee State Champion team. He attended Albion College where he majored in Chemistry. Dr. Carmody, A Sigma Chi, met his future wife of 57 years, Patricia (Pat) Riopelle, a Delta Zeta at an Albion College Greek Event. Dr. and Mrs. Carmody were married in December of 1964 at a beautiful Christmas ceremony at the L’Anse United Methodist Church.

Dr. Carmody attended the University of Michigan Medical School, graduating with his M.D. degree in 1968. After graduation, Dr. Carmody interned at the Munson Medical Center in Traverse City from 1968-1969. He did his extern work under the late Dr. Carl Moyer at the Moyer Clinic in Keweenaw Bay. Dr. Carmody started his private practice as a family physician in Hancock, Michigan, where he worked from 1969-1971.

In 1971, Dr. Carmody moved his practice and his family to L’Anse. For the next 35 years, until his retirement in 2006, he dedicated his life to serving the community as their family physician, mentor, caretaker, and friend. In addition to his private practice, he also served as the Chief of Staff of the Baraga County Memorial Hospital, and as the Director of the Winkler nursing home (Bayside Village). Dr. Carmody was passionate about his work and believed that being a physician was a true “calling” rather than a job. Anyone that had the privilege to be cared for by Doc, felt cared for and knew they were in the hands of someone meant to practice medicine. Doc ran the L’Anse hospital, caring for his patient’s needs around the clock. He practiced in a time before specialization was common or accessible. As a result, he was not only a family doctor, but he was also the ER physician, the general surgeon, and the local OB/Gyn. He made frequent house calls, sometimes taking his children with him to assist. He was particularly dedicated to the care of expectant mothers and the delivery of newborn babies and was always on-call for his mothers. During his career, Dr. Carmody delivered most of the babies in Baraga and Houghton counties, including his own four children. He was one of the last physicians of his kind, and he left his mark on the hearts of many in his community. Dr. Carmody was someone few people could forget; he was truly one of a kind.

Dr. Carmody and his late wife Pat enjoyed living a small-town life in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They loved the people of L’Anse. They considered living in L’Anse a privilege and enjoyed the freedom to raise their children in a small-town environment amongst friends without the burdens and stress of life in a city. Doc placed the highest value on honest hard work and was a man of unwavering principle.

Dr. Carmody was a stanch supporter of the less fortunate, giving generously to many churches and charitable causes around the Upper Peninsula. He funded many local scholarships (often anonymously) and believed in providing educational opportunities to local students. Dr. Carmody also worked with his Alma Mater, the University of Michigan, and assisted the Michigan Board of Reagents to match scholarship opportunities for promising Upper Peninsula students.

In his free time, Dr. Carmody enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and snowmobiling. He particularly loved brook trout fishing with his brother Bill, culminating in an annual fishing trip to Lake Nipigon in Canada. Dr. Carmody also attended a yearly bird hunting camp with his brother Bill, his Brother-in-Law Dan Laskey, and other family members. In Retirement, Dr

Carmody and Pat spent their winters with friends on Hutchinson Island, Florida and always looked forward to returning to L’Anse for the “warmer” months.

Doc rarely encountered anything that he did not believe was possible with the right amount of work. His children now laugh as they look back at some of the crazy things they did together as a family. They are all extremely grateful for the unique childhood they had, and attribute their sense of adventure to their father, who believed anything could be done.

Dr. Carmody was preceded in death by his parents (Don and Elsie), his brother and life- long hunting and fishing partner, Bill (wife Erlene), and by his loving wife Pat who passed in October 2020. Dr. Carmody is survived by his two younger sisters. whom he was proud to be their brother, Liz Laskey (Dan) and Carol Somsel (Gordie deceased), his three sons, Dr. Robert Carmody of Traverse City, MI, Dr. Michael Carmody (wife Nadine) of Newbury Park, CA, Dr. Ronald Carmody (wife Susan) of L’Anse, MI, and by his daughter Kathleen Carmody (husband Greg Ekdahl) of Ada, MI. Dr. Carmody is also survived by 9 nieces and nephews, and nine grandchildren. His grandchildren, Meg, Eryn, Johnny, Edward, Thomas, Millie, Anna, Jack and Adam, will all miss their “papa”.

There will be a visitation on Friday, October 25th at Jacobson’s Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m. A funeral service will take place on Saturday, October 26th at the L’Anse Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Bonnie Billock officiating. A luncheon will follow the service in the church hall. The burial will be in the L’Anse Evergreen Cemetery. The Carmody family invites you to celebrate the lives of both Pete & Pat Carmody on October 26th at 6 p.m. at the L’Anse American Legion.

Friends may sign Doc’s guest book or send condolences at www.jacobsonfuneralhome.com.