Esther M (Oakes) Carpenter

Esther M. Carpenter, 91, Chapman Lake, Warsaw, Indiana, formally of North Manchester, Indiana, passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her loving daughters and sons on July 6, 2019 at 2:04 a.m. Esther was born in Salamanca, New York on February 15, 1928 to Lemuel E. and Sylvia (Nurss) Oakes.

On May 22, 1946 Esther married Clifford Carpenter. The two were wed for 69 years before Clifford’s passing on November 15, 2015. The two started a life and family in New York, then moved to Indiana. There was three important aspects of Esther’s life that impacted who she was. The first was her faith in the Lord. Esther had a strong faith and shared it by helping to start three churches, one of them being Faith Baptist Church in North Manchester, Indiana, where she was a member. Secondly, Esther loved music, this included playing music, listening to classical and Christian music and teaching music. Esther could often be found singing beautifully at church, weddings and funerals or playing violin for the Manchester Symphony. She also received her Master’s Degree from Saint Francis University in Music Education and taught music for ten years. The most important of these three aspect was her love of family. Her family meant the world to her, from her late husband to her two sons, three daughters, seventeen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren. She loved each of them dearly. For the last 20 years, Esther was an aficionado of watching sports. Her knowledge about sports grew to be more than that of most of her grandchildren.

Esther’s loving memory will be forever cherished by her two sons, Dale (Vicki) Carpenter, North Manchester, Indiana and Dana (Kathy) Carpenter, N. Hampton, Massachusetts; three daughters, Diane Rager, Syracuse, Indiana, Doreen (Doug) Olsen, Colorado Springs, Colorado and Donna (Chad) VanKirk, Pierceton, Indiana; one sister, Flora Szabo, East Randolph, New York; seventeen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren. Esther was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two brothers; three sisters; one grandson, Ian Olsen and one great-grandchild, Haze Yahne.

A graveside service will be held Monday, July 8, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. for family and friends at Oaklawn Cemetery, 600 Beckley Street, North Manchester, Indiana. Pastor J.P. Freeman will officiate.

For those who wish to honor the memory of Esther M. Carpenter, memorial contributions may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 1303 State Road 13, North Manchester, Indiana 46962.

Arrangements are entrusted to McKee Mortuary