Sarah Livermore Carmack Spencer
March 4, 1949 ~ August 13, 2021 (age 72)
Tribute
Sarah Livermore Carmack Spencer was born on March 4, 1949, in Tulsa, Oklahoma to her beloved parents, Ed and Melba Livermore. She passed unexpectedly in her home on Friday August 13, 2021.
Sally grew up in Claremore, Oklahoma and later, moved with her family to Sapulpa, Oklahoma where she graduated from high school. Her parents were very involved in the newspaper business and as she grew up, she too, was bitten by the journalistic bug.
Sally attended the University of Oklahoma where like her father and brother before her, she majored in journalism and became editor of the OU Daily, the student newspaper. It was during the turbulent Viet Nam era so a memorable and important time. After graduation, Sally worked for The Norman Transcript (Norman, OK) and Southwestern Bell Telephone (Okla. City) respectively before attending law school at Oklahoma City University. She met her former husband Mike Carmack there and they became parents to Sally's much loved daughter Mary Carmack. Always a lover of adventure, Sally's last semester of law school was at Oxford University in Oxford, England - when she was six months pregnant.
Sadly, Mike Carmack passed away in January 1979.
Sally has said her life began again when she moved to Santa Fe, NM, in 1999. Santa Fe was often the object of childhood family vacations and both she and daughter Mary loved the mountains and outdoors, the culture, and "all things New Mexico." She made beautiful homes in both Santa Fe and Taos filled with family heirlooms and her own unique finds. All who knew her enjoyed her special homes.
Sally lived in Santa Fe until she passed. She was among the brightest, sassiest, wittiest, well-informed, generous of individuals. Sally always said her favorite time of the year was football season where every fall, she rooted for her adored Oklahoma Sooners and could quote game stats with the best of them.
Sally had avid curiosity about a myriad of topics including world history, politics, architecture, interior design, flora and fauna, and local and national news. She practiced law for quite a few years and referred to herself in later years, humorously after retiring, as a "recovering attorney." Sally was still a member of the Bar when she passed and her friends and family continued to rely on her for her legal expertise - especially in the area of Constitutional law.
A voracious reader, Sally could discuss almost any topic. She loved traveling, art, skiing, landscaping her beautiful yard, her wonderful friends, her sweet and loyal dog Sparkle, and so much more. But most of all, she loved spending time with her two grandchildren, Hudson and Hazel. They were the lights of her life. One of Sally's proudest moments was in November 2020 when her daughter Mary Carmack-Altwies was elected District Attorney for Santa Fe County.
Sally is survived by her only daughter, Mary Carmack-Altwies; Mary’s wife, Jolene Altwies and their two children, Hudson and Hazel. She is also survived by her two siblings, Mary Bush of Leawood, KS and Ed Livermore, Jr of Kerrville, TX. Her family is devastated by her unexpected passing.
A celebration of her life will be held in her honor, at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, Saturday, September 25th at 5:15.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Espanola Humane animal shelter, the place where she adopted all of her gentle and loyal dogs.
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