Loralee Carmichael

Loralee Carmichael went to meet her Lord and Savior on January 19, 2025.  She lost her battle with an incurable cancer since it was detected in February of 2024.

She loved her family, her friends, and helping others. She loved working and traveling to many of the beautiful places on God’s Earth.

Loralee and her husband Johnny, father-in-law Charlie “Red” Carmichael, mother-in-law Magdalene “Margie,” and daughters Renee and Laurette operated a dairy farm from 1972 until 1994. The family also operated Carmichael Farm Supply which sold and serviced dairy equipment during that time. Loralee was never afraid to tackle anything. Soon after the new skid steer loader arrived and John couldn’t get back in time, she climbed on and taught herself to operate it. She was an excellent skid steer operator.

From 1995 to 2011, Loralee and John built a John Deere business from scratch, owning three locations. In 2013, Loralee and John started The Carmichael Agency Insurance. They won many sales awards with each venture.  She made many friends of our customers.

Loralee was always ready to pack a suitcase for trips John had planned, traveling to Europe nine times and to her beloved Key West, Saint Augustine, Florida, and Put-in-Bay, Ohio often. She also loved the Tennessee and North Carolina mountains but most of all she loved being at her home and the many family gatherings each year. Loralee planted many beautiful flowers each spring.

She was a special person with a captivating smile and personality.  Loralee made many friends instantly.

After John and Loralee had a couple of dates, they knew they were destined to be together always. They married March 30, 1972 and celebrated 52 years of marriage. Last year on her Anniversary Trip to Key West, Florida, even though she wasn’t feeling well, Loralee told John she wanted to go because it might be her last time to visit there. John was sure they would be back many times, but it was not meant to be.

Loralee leaves behind husband Johnny Lynn Carmichael; daughter Meredith Renee Davis and son-in-law Chris and their children Peyton Seidel, Cameron, Evan, and Olivia Davis of Bidwell, Ohio and mother-in-law Evelyn Davis of Mason, West Virginia; daughter, Amanda Laurette Roettker and her husband Chris and their children Ayden and Jaxsen Roettker, all of Bidwell, Ohio and mother-in-law Shella Roettker of Gallipolis, Ohio; brother Brian Tucker and wife Cindy of Addison, Ohio and their daughter Jessica Bostic and her husband Joe of Bidwell, Ohio; sister Diana Mitchell and her husband Ralph of Belpre, Ohio and her son Tommy Wolfe and his wife Dedra of Seattle, Washington; sister Cathy Tucker of Bidwell, Ohio; uncle Jerry Campbell and his wife Janette of Bucyrus, Ohio; brother-in-law Ronnie Carmichael and his wife Ann of Gallipolis, Ohio and their daughter Carole Carmichael and her friend Charlie of Gallipolis, Ohio; brother-in-law Tommy Carmichael of Gallipolis, Ohio and his son Chris Carmichael of Dublin, Ohio and daughter Carrie Carmichael of Columbus, Ohio; and Indiana cousins Sharon and her husband Jim Beer, Rodney and his wife Sicily, Angie and her husband Brad Walker, and Sam and Nancy Noll, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Loralee was born to Jimmy Lee and Francis Mae Tucker on December 6, 1953 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Her grandparents were Paul and “Granny” Watson and Nelson and Belva Campbell; all of whom have passed away.

Loralee was a Gallia County Jr Fair board member in the 1970’s and was a 4-H advisor for the Gallia County Dairy Club.

She was President of the Gallipolis Rotary Club one term and was a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. She was a board member for The Field of Hope in its early stages.  She had numerous designations for Life Insurance and Financial Services.

Loralee had hundreds of friends and often got together with her 1971 Kyger Creek classmates.

Loralee will be greatly missed by John’s and her travel buddies Reggie and Ed Smith, Dave and Lynn Witt, Dale and Becky Lear, Jeff and Valerie Nelson, and Sonny and Shari Knight.  She will also be missed by her special friends Mike and Susan Byrnes of The Arbor Inn, Put-in-Bay, Ohio.

Loralee and daughter Renee ran Carmichael Insurance and Financial Services together, and Renee will continue with operation of the business.

Our family would like to thank Holzer Hospice and the caregivers of her last days for taking such wonderful care of her. Thank you, Sandy Thomas, for being her comfort during infusion therapy.

We would also like to thank our good friends Dave and Jennifer Krawsczyn for the many uplifting calls to discuss Loralee’s condition all through her illness. And for the wonderful time we had on our Key West trips. So thankful we spent the time together.

A family-only Funeral Ceremony will take place at Willis Funeral Home Saturday morning.

A public Celebration of Loralee’s Life will take place Sunday, February 9, 2025 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at The Colony in Gallipolis, Ohio. All our friends and family are welcome.

Please make donations to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital to fight this terrible disease in children. 800-822-6344