Patricia A. Carney

Patricia Ann Roark Carney passed away after a brief illness on Aug. 30, 2023 at Ryan House-Hospice of the Valley, in Phoenix, Az. at 98 years young.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, at Holy Family Church, New Hampton, Iowa, with the Rev. Jim Goerend celebrating the Mass. Interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery, in New Hampton.  

Friends may greet the family two hours prior to the Mass at the Holy Family Gathering Space at the church. Online condolences may be left at www.hugebackfuneralhome.com.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Holy Family Church, New Hampton; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler, Iowa; or Ryan House-Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix.

Patricia was born on July 6, 1925, to Leo James Roark and Olivette Ann Clary Roark. She grew up in Lawler, Iowa and attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel grade school in Lawler and graduated from Lawler High School as valedictorian of her class at age 16. Patricia played high school girls’ basketball (6 on 6) and was able to provide her children and grandchildren a few good pointers on how to shoot the basketball properly. She pursued further education at Clarke College (now University) and the University of Virginia.

On July 15, 1947 she was united in marriage to Gerald Francis Carney, son of Harry James Sr. and Lena Rehorst Carney at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church in Lawler. Gerald was a United States Naval Officer and since they were a military family, their life was one of world wide moves-some adventurous, some difficult, some dangerous, but always loving. Their family was their biggest joy and consisted of Dr. Patrick Gerald Carney, Amy Leigh Carney Sandell and Bryon Roark Carney. Their children lived a military lifestyle with zeal and brought much happiness into their parents’ lives.

Patricia was a musician and organist in her church in Lawler. While at Clarke, she and classmate, Lois Walz, performed “Dual Pianos” in concert and in the Dubuque community at various functions. When living in Virginia, she accompanied her life long friend, Dorothy McCall, a coloratura soprano, who performed in the Washington DC area at many eventful occasions. In the Philippines, Patricia organized a choir and she and Gerald began a tradition with a children’s choir that dressed in green and formed a Christmas tree with flashlights illuminating their faces in front of a huge Philippine lighted pine tree. This brought Christmas joy to all those who were far away from home at the US Naval Station in San Miguel, Philippines. Gerald retired from the Navy after 25 years and after many, many moves throughout the US and the world, Patricia and Gerald returned to New Hampton, Iowa in 1964.

Patricia was a member of Holy Family Parish-St. Joseph Center, the Rosary Society, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary, Chapter DL-PEO Sisterhood, and American Legion Auxiliary. Patricia and Gerald loved playing golf and traveled to Scotland to play some of the famous golf courses there. They loved to entertain and were part of a large bridge club in New Hampton and helped with many parties at the New Hampton Golf and Country Club. In the early 1980’s, they started to go to Arizona in the winter months where Amy and Bryon lived. Patricia loved nice clothes and could out-shop anyone who tried to challenge her. She loved her family deeply. She attended all of her seven grandchildren’s high school graduations in Iowa and Arizona and six grandchildren’s weddings that have taken place in Iowa, California and Arizona. Her Catholic faith was a mainstay for her. She was extremely proud of the fact that a baptismal gown that was made by her mother, Olivette Roark, in 1951 has been worn by all 21 of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In the years before Gerald’s death in May 2014, Patricia was a caregiver for him. After moving from New Hampton to Clear Lake in 2015, Patricia then moved to La Siena Senior Living in Phoenix in 2019.

Surviving Patricia are two sons, Dr. Patrick (Kathy) Carney of Clear Lake, and Bryon (Danna) Carney of Phoenix; one daughter, Amy (Dean) Sandell of Chandler, Az.; seven grandchildren, Megan (Brian) Blackwood, Nate Carney, Chris (Nikki) Carney, Carly (Jared) Lepore, Jeff (Marissa) Sandell, Bronte Carney, Peyton (Ben) Disbrow; 11 great-grandchildren, Hannah and Stella Blackwood, Hudson, Finn and Laken Carney, Colton, Harper and Chase Carney, Adalyn and Camille Lepore, and Max Sandell along with Jacob and Alex Buggie. Patricia was very close to her Carney “outlaw” Wayne Snyder.

Patricia was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald, and her parents.