Born in 1932 Carmen grew up on the island of Gozo in the Maltese archipelago, at the time a British colony. Carmen was not afforded many luxuries, life was tough. Carmen was taken out of school at age ten to work in the family bakery. As World War 2 raged in the Mediterranean Sea, her family bakery worked with the British armed services in a bread rationing program during the Nazi's blockade of Malta.

Several years after the war, Carmen went with her girlfriend Marianne to visit the family of Marianne's fiancé Savior Dimech at their home. On a table was a picture of an American service man. The man in the picture was Lewis, Savior's brother. Lewis Dimech came to America in 1947 to send money back home to his family in Malta. Carmen told herself that if she did not marry the man in the picture, Lewis, she would never marry. In 1952 at age 20 Carmen came to America with her sister, Salvina to work and send money home to their family.

Carmen worked in a sweat shop sewing blue jeans in New York City with her sister. They shared a small apartment in the Maltese community in New York City. One day, on the other side of the ocean a half a world away from Malta while socializing on the side walk with other Maltese, the man in the picture, Lewis, came walking down the side walk. Carmen made a point of meeting him. She found that Lewis lived a day's train ride away in Detroit and worked at an automotive manufacturer. He was in New York on vacation with his best friend, Felix Cutajar, visiting friends.

Carmen and Lewis carried on a distant relationship for a while. Carmen eventually moved to Detroit and lived with cousins in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. Corktown was an area that Irish, Mexicans and Maltese lived; it was a Catholic neighborhood.Carmen and Lewis would marry on December 26, 1955.

Carmen and Lewis would have three children Mary, Marcel and Joseph. The two would rely on friends and neighbors to assimilate into the American culture. The first house they purchased on Detroit's west side was next door to Larry and Mildred Paige. The Paige's were as close as anyone could be that were not family. The Paige's would help guide Carmen and Lewis with Americanization over the years.
Carmen and Lewis would stay married over 57 years until Lewis's death in 2013. They lived the stereotypical American Dream for any immigrant family. Lewis worked and Carmen stayed home with the children. After Lewis retired the two traveled as much as possible. Their two favorite trips were; 1- Australia to visit family and Hawaii on the way back to the US. 2- A European bus trip in which they visited many countries. The two moved to Florida for several years and returned to the Detroit area near their children when Lewis's health started to decline.

After Lewis passed, Carmen's health would deteriorate in many ways. Her desire for life waned and her body reflected the greatest loss anyone could suffer, her greatest love. After Lewis passed, Carmen would tell her kids that all she ever wanted was to be the wife of Lewis. As Janis Joplin sang; Carmen "would trade all of her tomorrows for one more yesterday," Lewis was her Bobby McGee.

Carmen was extremely proud that her daughter graduated college and her two sons had good union jobs. Carmen was especially delighted with her children's choices in spouses; she loved her son and daughter in laws.

Carmen was proof that you do not have to visit Disney World for your dreams to come true! The odds were against her ever meeting Lewis. Were it not for World War 2 and what the Nazi's did to Malta causing mass emigration, the chances of their matrimonial union were very slim. Carmen's life was one of Hope, Fate, Destiny and love at first site.

To make a memorial donation to The American Heart Association in Carmen's name, click the link in the Memorial section on the left side of the page.