Herbert Anderson Carmen III

Herb (aka Andy as a youth and to his mother) was a product of the South Jersey Shore, born in Atlantic City, NJ on July 15, 1929. He was raised and received early education in the adjacent island community of Ventnor City, and graduated from Atlantic City High School. He was the only son of Lizzie Nan Joass, who came to this country from Scotland at age 19, and Herbert A. Carmen, Jr.

Herb continued his education and started his professional career in Philadelphia, PA, graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Architectural Engineering. He moved his career to Western Electric in Winston-Salem, NC in 1953, and then in 1954 to McMinn, Norfleet, & Wicker, Architects, in Greensboro. In 1960, an opportunity to form a partnership presented itself and Alley, Williams, Carmen & King, Inc., Engineers and Architects, was formed. He served as president of the Piedmont Section of the NC Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Herb enjoyed the challenges and rewards of his work and from the end of his career remarked that he wouldn’t change a thing. Post retirement, he remained very active, and among other endeavors, with his wife Fleta rehabilitated and restored a historically recognized farmhouse built by Fleta’s great-grandfather in 1878.

He found time to play a little of many sports, and a lot of volleyball, racquetball, swimming as an exercise, competitive rowing, whitewater canoeing, backpacking, and sailing.

Herb served a number of organizations in various capacities. His college fraternity was Alpha Sigma Phi, where he served as dishwasher, house manager and President, not concurrently. In Alamance County, he served the United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Home Builders Association, YMCA (President, and was essentially one of the founding fathers of Camp Frontier) and Rotary Club (President), where he was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow and later as a 56-year member. He served as a leader in the Boy Scouts of America, first in Greensboro and then for decades with Troop 17 in Burlington.

Herb and his family have been active members of First Presbyterian Church since moving to Burlington in 1962. He was a Deacon and Elder, served in a number of ministries, and presided over the Open Door Sunday School class for many years.

Herb is survived by his wife Fleta Hampton Carmen. They met on a blind date in 1953 and this past June celebrated their 67th anniversary. Together they raised a family founded on, and bound together by, love and faithfulness. Also surviving are Eve Carmen Isley (Charlotte) and husband Johnny and their children Jonathan and wife Anna, Michael, and Matthew; Andy Carmen (Winston-Salem) and wife Sheila and their children, Lindsay Roberts and husband Richard, Andrew Carmen and wife Natalie, and Hannah Newman and husband Zach; Patti Carmen Whitehead (Boone) and husband John and their children Bailey and Lyndsey; and seven great-grandchildren – Amelia, Daniel, Graham, Micah, Lucy, Jack, and Ward.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Burlington on Monday, October 18, 2021 at 2:00 pm and will be live streamed at fpcburlington.org/live-streaming. A graveside service at Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston Salem will be held on Saturday, October 16, 202 at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the (1) Alley, Williams, Carmen & King Scholarship in Civil Engineering and Architecture, administered by Alamance Community Foundation, P.O. Box 726, Burlington, NC 27216, www.alamancecommunityfoundation.org/donate; (2) Authoracare Hospice, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington NC 27215; (3) First Presbyterian Church, 508 West Davis, Burlington, NC 27215; and (4) the Alamance County Community YMCA, 1346 South Main St., Burlington, NC 27215.