Carmyn Neely

MARY CARMYN (McKINNEY) NEELY, a loving and vivacious mother, stepmother, grandmother, friend, professional educator, and colleague who touched countless lives, passed away to Heaven with her children by her side on Monday, 13 April 2026, in Dallas, Texas. Carmyn’s friends remember her as a talented, dynamic woman who inspired virtually everyone around her with her poise, personality, intellect, drive, and dedication. But along with her deep and unshakable faith in God, it was her family that formed the core of her life. In 1987, Carmyn married Dr. Joe Neely, and their love story blossomed into a large and happy blended family that forms the bedrock of their joint legacy of love and joy that will sustain their children and grandchildren for a lifetime. Joe passed away in December 2022, and they are now reunited in Heaven.

Carmyn was born on 27 October 1944, at Hope Cottage in Dallas, where a young woman from the South had come to ensure a healthy pregnancy for herself and her baby, and then place the child for adoption. Soon thereafter, Armyn and Mary McKinney of Dallas adopted that child and named her Mary Carmyn. It was a heaven-sent gift for all three of them. Mr. and Mrs. McKinney raised Carmyn in a happy home on Martel Avenue, where she was surrounded by love and friends as she matriculated through the Dallas schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1963. Carmyn went on to earn BA and MA degrees in English and Education Administration from North Texas State University (now UNT) as she embarked on a career in education. But she never forgot where she came from, and dedicated herself to helping the adoption community in Dallas in her later years, eventually serving on the board of directors at Hope Cottage, her birthplace.

While teaching at South Garland High School in the late 1960s, Carmyn met and married Arthur Clyde Douglas III, and together they had a son, Craig, born in 1970. Carmyn and Art remained good friends and co-parents after they ended their marriage in the 1980s, all the way through to his death in 2013.

Carmyn’s career took her through teaching and administration positions in Garland, Carrolton-Farmer’s Branch, Duncanville, Cedar Hill, Eanes (Westlake) in Austin, and then to Lubbock ISD where she was Deputy Superintendent under Dr. Mike Moses. Carmyn then entered the private sector for several years with Voyager Expanded Learning when she and Joe moved first back to Austin and then came home to Dallas in the late 1990s. Dr. Moses later persuaded Carmyn to become Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Dallas when he took over Dallas ISD in 2001. It was there where she developed a passion for all-girls education and leadership training that became the capstone to a long and successful career in public education — a career that saw her make positive and lasting contributions to the lives of thousands of Texas schoolchildren.

Carmyn left Dallas ISD to pursue her passion for all-girls education full-time when she was appointed the Executive Director of the Foundation for the Education of Young Women (now the Young Women’s Preparatory Network), founded by Dallas philanthropists Lee and Sally Posey. The Foundation’s mission was — and is — to establish all-girls public schools in Texas, and continue to provide financial, college prep networking, and curriculum support to those bright and gifted young women and their schools. While Carmyn was at the Foundation, it was the key driver to the establishment of public girls’ schools in Dallas, Austin, Lubbock, Houston, and San Antonio. After her tenure ended, the now-YWPN expanded by another six schools in other communities around the state. Of everything she accomplished in her career, it was these efforts to foster future young women leaders through same-gender public schools that she was proudest of.

While Carmyn was thoroughly driven to be successful in all her professional and public endeavors, she nevertheless always put her faith and her family first. After moving back to Dallas, Carmyn and Joe joined Lover’s Lane United Methodist Church, where they deepened their faith, and made a host of lifelong friends. Carmyn and Joe founded and taught the 24/7 Sunday school class nearly every Sunday for many years as the church became an integral part of their lives. Carmyn was also the leader of several small groups through the church, and collectively through these efforts, she touched the lives of so many people and wonderful friends that will always carry her memory. The family will forever be grateful for the Lover’s Lane community, and all the love, growth, and lasting friendship they shared with Carmyn and Joe in their life of faith.

Carmyn and Joe had an easygoing, affectionate companionship throughout their 35 years together. They complemented each other well, and enjoyed a rich and full life, filled with laughter, good times, and family events throughout the years. They didn’t sit still for very long, and Carmyn was always “going and doing,” as she liked to say — around town, and everywhere else as she and Joe traveled with friends all over the country, and indeed all over the world.

But the principal source of Carmyn and Joe’s joy over the last decades of their lives was their seven grandchildren. They remember their Nani as someone who embraced their goals and dreams, always made each of them feel individually special, always welcome and included, and certainly loved for who they are. The entire family gathered often throughout the year, with Nani leading the charge to plan and hold several annual events that became hallmarks of their lives. Each summer, the entire family would gather in Watercolor, Florida for fun in the sun and crystal-clear ocean waters, all staying in one big house, where sleep could be hard to come by.

In recent weeks, some of Carmyn’s closest friends have been sharing their impressions and memories of her with the family in a series of Zoom calls. The videos and transcripts of those calls will be treasured by her children, and contribute to an oral history of Nani’s life for her grandchildren. The family wishes to thank everyone who has reached out with these special impressions of Carmyn so far, and more calls will take place over the summer. They invite all who knew her to share how she touched their lives.

Carmyn is preceded in Heaven by her husband Joe; her parents, Armyn and Mary McKinney; and a host of McKinney grandparents, uncles and aunts from that large and boisterous family. Carmyn is survived by her son Craig Douglas; stepdaughter Kristi Neely Mikkelsen and her husband Mark; stepson Chris Neely and his wife Robin; and seven adoring grandchildren — Megan Mikkelsen Almond and her husband Graham; Mason Mikkelsen; Chloe Neely; Oliver Neely; Gray Douglas; Cambell Carpenter; and Griffin Carpenter. And towards the very end of her life, Carmyn became a great grandmother with the birth of Megan and Graham’s daughter Harper Almond.

A celebration of life service for Carmyn will be held at Lover’s Lane United Methodist Church at 9200 Inwood Road, Dallas, Texas 75220 on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at 10:30 a.m., with a reception at the church to follow.

Finally, the family expresses its appreciation to Pam Bell and the wonderful staff at the Cottages at Chapel Creek in Frisco, who took such loving care of Carmyn in the last two years of her life.

For those who wish to leave a token of their esteem for Carmyn, the family requests donations in lieu of flowers to the Mary Carmyn Neely scholarship through the Young Women’s Preparatory Network. Visit https://youngwomensprep.org/donate/ and note that your gift is in honor of Mary Carmyn Neely. The family thanks everyone for remembering Carmyn, and prays that her memory will be a blessing to all that knew her.