Carmella "Carm" Williams

Carmella “Carm” Williams, 75, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, October 18, 2012 from complications due to Alzheimer’s disease. Visitation will be Tuesday, October 23, 2012 from 5 to 7 p.m. at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines. A private interment will be held at a later date at Resthaven Cemetery.

Carmella Marie Formaro was born on February 18, 1937 to Charles D. and Juanita V. (Clos) Formaro in Des Moines, IA. She attended Abraham Lincoln High School and married Thomas B. Floyd. Two children were born of this union, Debra Marie and Thomas Anthony. She later married Brian P. Williams.

Carm worked in the food service industry most of her life and previously owned The Conference Room Restaurant and Lounge in West Des Moines.

She was well known for her Guest Chef Night every Thursday with local celebrities preparing their favorite dishes. She loved her family, friends and dogs passionately. She was kind, giving and caring and volunteered her time and energy to many organizations over the years.

Carmella is survived by her daughter and best friend, Debbie (Senator Bill Dotzler) Floyd of West Des Moines; her son, Tom (Teresa) Floyd of Des Moines; her granddaughter, Trisha Floyd of Iowa City; her brother, Chuck (Kaye) Formaro of Atlanta, GA; her brother-in-law, Jim (Carole) Floyd of West Des Moines; and a host of family and friends in the Des Moines, Waterloo and Atlanta areas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her twin brother, Tom Formaro; her father and mother-in-law, Leonard and Margaret Floyd; Tom Floyd and Brian Williams.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1730 – 28th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50266 or the Animal Rescue League, 5452 NE 22nd Street, Des Moines, IA 50313.

The family would like to thank Dr. Thomas Luft, Dr. Kathleen Jones, Dr. David Friedgood and Dr. Jerome Greenfield for their expert care of Carm during these past few years. We would also like to thank her caregivers, Paula Beattie, Darlene Hill and Rawnene Shunk, and family friends, Kim Ford and Sherry Davis, who allowed us to keep her at home during her illness.