Carmen Viray Wilcox, 78

Palisadian Carmen Viray Wilcox died of natural causes on July 2 in Boulder, Colorado, where she and her husband, Ralph, owned a second home. She was 78. Carmen was born to Domingo and Apolonia San Pedro Viray on February 19, 1926, in Manila, Philippines. She was one of 13 children. Three years after earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Philippines, Carmen moved to the United States to study and complete a master’s degree in chemistry at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh. She continued her graduate studies in chemistry at University of Colorado at Boulder. Through a common group of friends she met Ralph Wilcox, whom she married on May 22, 1959. Carmen, a very caring person, supported Ralph as he earned his Ph.D. in physics and when their son Lee was born in 1960, she became a full-time mom. A second son, Ben, was born in 1963. In 1969, the Wilcox family relocated to Southern California and moved to Pacific Palisades. Carmen later returned to work as a medical laboratory technologist at various local hospitals, a profession she enjoyed for many years. The warm weather of Southern California was perfect for Carmen’s favorite pastime, gardening. It gave her great pride and joy to see her plant clippings mature into fruitbearing plants. Meanwhile, she and Ralph attended lectures together, and enjoyed traveling to visit grandchildren, family and friends. In addition to her husband, Carmen is survived by her sons, Lee (wife Jackie) of Vancouver, Washington, and Ben of Pacific Palisades; three grandchildren, Tuck, Makena and Sean of Vancouver; sisters Emiliana Morf, Dolores Brill, Rosario Viray, Estela Kallinen, Mother Katherine Pilar Viray, Teresa Viray and Virginia Mantano; and brothers Cesar, Antonio and Alejandro. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Victor and Manuel. The funeral was held July 11 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Boulder. Contributions may be made in Carmen’s name to the American Diabetes Association.