Karmel Ann Pankratz

Karmel Ann Pankratz passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 20th, 2025 at her home in American Falls, Idaho, surrounded by loving family, after a two-year-long battle with Ovarian Cancer.

Originally from Shelton, Washington, Karmel met her husband of nearly 40 years, Doug Pankratz, while on vacation in Idaho, attending softball tournaments. Doug proposed to Karmel in April 1985, and they were married on November 29, 1985. Karmel moved to American Falls, Idaho, and started a family with him.

Karmel loved boldly, cared heavily, and always kept others in her thoughts. She was loved and protected fiercely by her family.

Before she passed Karmel told her family that she didn’t want to have a long obituary. So we will honor her by keeping it short. It was her wish to pass along to everyone who would hear it, the most important advice she provided to her friends and family.

Karmel’s Advice:

• In all of life, through good times and bad times, look for the silver lining. It is always there, it just needs to be discovered, appreciated, and cherished.
• There is beauty and joy in all aspects of life, sometimes a person just needs to look a little harder for it.

Karmel is preceded in death by her parents, James and Shirley Parker, and her sister Kerry Parker, brother Robbie Parker

Her loving family survives her: Husband Doug, Daughter Kara, Future Son-in-Law Andy Somerville, Sons Dale and Casey Lawson, Kegan, and daughter-in-law Brianne (Kegan’s Wife), grandchildren Echo and August Lawson.