Patricia Ann Carpenter

Patricia Ann Carpenter was born April 5, 1931 in Tyler, Minnesota to Thomas McCaffrey and Ellen (Stack) McCaffrey. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Lake Benton, Minnesota. She graduated from Lake Benton High School in 1949 and attended St. Catherine’s College in Minneapolis, where she received her degree as a Registered Nurse in 1952. Pat married her Lake Benton sweetheart, Paul Carpenter, on November 11, 1952 in Augusta, Georgia where Paul was serving in the U.S. Army. In August 1954 they returned to Lake Benton. Pat and Paul were blessed with six children and 44 years of life together before Paul’s death in 1997. Pat was a nurse for over 40 years. She was Director of Nursing in Tyler, Minnesota, and completed her career working in the Hendricks Nursing Home. She retired in 1996 and cared for Paul during the last months of his life. In 2000 she moved from her Lake Benton home to Homestead Place in Lake Benton, and entered Good Samaritan Home in Pipestone, Minnesota in January 2006, where she died on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at the age of 80 years and 29 days.

Pat was a member of St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Lake Benton. She was a member and performer at the Lake Benton Opera House for many years, and received the Friend of the Opera House award. She was also a member of Beta Federated Club of Lake Benton. She enjoyed music, golf, and traveling, and especially enjoyed time with her family and friends.

Pat is lovingly remembered by her children, Susan Houck, a missionary in Haiti, Steven Carpenter and his wife Karla of Brookings, South Dakota, Mary Willert of Rock Springs, Wyoming, Cynthia Enke and her husband Daniel of Appleton, Minnesota, Patty Blair of Rock Springs, Wyoming, and John Carpenter and his wife Lynne of Glendale, Arizona; a brother, Robert (and Susan) McCaffrey; 13 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul; her parents; one granddaughter, Melissa Enke; and a brother, Richard McCaffrey.

Memorials may be directed to the Lake Benton Opera House or Good Samaritan Home of Pipestone.