In Memory

Carmen Ruggeroli (Hamel)

Carmen Ruggeroli (Hamel)

Carmen Ruggeroli Hamel passed away at her home in Las Vegas on December 21, 2002.  Carmen was Miss Nevada in 1956, and became a voice and piano teacher and actress.  She was married to classmate Jerry Hamel (they dated since the 8th grade) for 38 years, and they had two sons.  In the bio she sent to us in 1996, she said the one moment she would like to re-live was the opening night  of Naughty Marietta,  and that  her most  memorable experiences were representing Nevada in the Miss America Pageant in 1956 and going back to school and graduating from UNLV in 1988.  The accomplishment she was most proud of was the production of "House of Bernarda Alda", which won the Western Regional of the American College Theater Festival.  The production was then taken to Washington, D.C. and played 4 performances at the Kennedy Center.  She was very proud to have played a major role in that at the age of 38. Carmen was certainly one of the most talented and admired members of our class, and will be forever remembered for her beauty, magnificent voice, and sweet disposition.