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

Ken Small

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 working 25 years 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

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