Carlosses to reign as Whitefish carnival king and queen

Whitefish residents Pat and Missy Carloss will reign as the Whitefish Winter Carnival King Ullr LXV and Queen of Snow. They were crowned during a coronation ceremony Saturday evening in downtown Whitefish.

After a couple of years spent “finding themselves” in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in the early 90s, Pat and Missy Carloss found each other.  

As most men in their mid-20s know, if you are serious about a girl, then you better get serious about a career. So Pat,  in his infinite wisdom (translation: naivety), decided to open a restaurant with a college buddy in a “cursed” location in Jackson Hole; and Missy decided to pursue her graduate degree in education at the University of Utah. 

Pat wanted to prove himself, as Missy continued her education.  The relationship grew, as absence made the hearts grow fonder, and in the spring of 1995, after Missy’s graduation and Pat’s successful sale of his now 4-year-old business, they were engaged and on the road with a loaded U-haul, two dogs, with plans to start a new restaurant and family in beautiful, welcoming Whitefish.  

On July 13, 1995, Tupelo Grille opened its doors to little fanfare and lots of headaches. But it survived on a steady stream of good-hearted, encouraging locals, hard work and patience.  Over the years, the business grew and they opened several more restaurants, including Abruzzo Italian, Gunsight Saloon, Haskill Station, Quickee Sandwich Shop, Mercantile Steak, North Fork Grill, and most recently, Dusty Star Saloon.  

Meanwhile, on the home front, Missy did the heavy lifting as the family grew to six as four beautiful children were welcomed into their lives. To keep from sitting still for too long, both Pat and Missy served on multiple boards over the years including the Whitefish Community Foundation, Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, Heart of Whitefish, Alpine Theatre Project, as well as members of the Whitefish Rotary Club and All Saints Episcopal Church.  

Missy holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Auburn University and a Master of Education from Utah. After attending LSU and University of Louisiana, Pat finally finished with a degree in Arts and Humanities (fancy name for Just Barely Getting Through) from the University of Louisiana.

The Whitefish Winter Carnival continues through Feb. 4. For a full slate of events go to whitefishwintercarnival.com.

    Queen of the Snows Missy Carloss (Photo courtesy Jessie Mazur)