Carmela Anne Pawlicki

Carmela Anne Pawlicki, age 16, passed away on April 3, 2026. Born on February 15, 2010, Carmela lived a life that should not be characterized by its brevity, but by its richness in love, creativity, and deep connection.

Carmela was intelligent, brave, imaginative, empathetic, beautiful, and exquisitely unique. She was clever with a sophistication that belied her years and had an unparalleled sense of humor that ranged from wry and mature to self-deprecating or wildly silly. She was a true “ride or die” and uncompromisingly and fiercely loyal to the people she loved. Carmela thought deeply, felt deeply, and loved deeply. She was a person who carried others’ burdens, absorbed their pain, and fought their battles; always ready to stand up, speak out, and fight for those she cared about. She had a generous heart and was a devoted friend to many. She adored her father, idolized her sister, and was her mother’s sidekick, partner in crime, and hero.

Her talents were extraordinary. Carmela possessed an incomparable depth of imagination that spanned from whimsy to darkness: she spent much of her early childhood living as a Disney princess or, occasionally, Spiderman. In her last years, she created countries with vibrant cultures for school, told horror stories that could keep you up for nights to come, and once created an entire slideshow and lore to present laugh- til-you-cry evidence as to why her friend Jeonghyun was secretly a robot. She was a gifted musician who played the flute, piccolo, baritone ukulele, and guitar. Above all, God gave her a divine gift in an unmatched singing voice with a range and timbre that cannot be taught; she had begun taking voice lessons to put technique and confidence behind her talent. She was also endlessly creative— designing nails, conceptualizing fashion and interior design, drawing, and making custom gifts that reflected the love she felt towards the recipient and the full force of spirit she poured into everything she did. When Carmela discovered a passion, she pursued it, devoured it, lived it, and mastered it.

At home, Carmela found joy in life’s simple and meaningful moments. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of The Simpsons from repeated watching, was a horror movie aficionado, and could give a TED talk on the historic, social, and cultural aspects of the movie Sinners. She loved video games that involved killing zombies and was a Mortal Kombat savant, even the old school versions. Carmela was always up for an impromptu karaoke session and would otherwise intersperse conversation with melismas or outright song breaks. She talked a great deal about deep philosophical topics, wild hypotheticals, plans for the future, or just kept her mother up to date with all the “tea”. Carmela was an avid walker and had an unspoken competition with an older man who also frequently walked the neighborhood…whether he was aware of this is unknown. She was often happiest when presented with French fries and she was a Monster energy drink connoisseur.

Carmela’s presence was a gift, her love a powerful force, and her contributions to our lives are immeasurable. To those who love her, the void and the questions she leaves behind are so very painful, but are made bearable by the privilege of having known her at all.

Carmela is survived by her father, Steven Pawlicki of Jacksonville, AL; her mother, Katie Dunnigan of Rincon, GA; and her sister, Avery Pawlicki of Rincon, GA. She is also survived by her grandparents, Jack Pawlicki and Lynn Smith of Moore, OK; Pat and Bill Larson of Salt Springs, FL; and Neal Dunnigan and Virginia Giglio of Cork, Ireland; as well as aunts and uncles across the country, many beloved cousins, and her first love, David Richardson.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Carol Pawlicki.

She will be forever loved, forever missed, and forever remembered.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a service at 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 155 Goshen Road, Rincon, GA 31326.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of kindness, compassion, and care for others, as well as self-care in Carmela’s memory. Donations may be sent to Suicide Awareness Voices of Education – www.save.org