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Esther Carpenter, age 89, of Sturgis, and formerly of Burr Oak, passed away Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010, at her home in Sturgis.
Esther was born Sept. 17, 1921, in Choteau, Okla., a daughter of the late Lewis and Ida (Troyer) Eichorn.
On Sept. 21, 1947, she married Marcus Carpenter in Burr Oak.
Esther had lived in the Clarence, N.Y., area with her family before moving to Michigan. She worked in Three Rivers before her marriage and then enjoyed being a homemaker. She enjoyed helping her family and friends.
Esther had attended the Locust Grove Mennonite Church, where she taught the Nursery Sunday School class for many years. She was presently a member of the Calvary Chapel in Sturgis.
She especially enjoyed her grandchildren and wrote faithfully to those living out of state nearly every week until she was no longer able. Her hobbies included embroidering and sending cards and notes to family and friends. She made crib and doll quilts for family and friends or donated them to the Galilean Children’s Home and to the Lake Area School for their annual auction.
She is survived by her husband, Marcus Carpenter; four children, Doyle (Marian) Carpenter of Centreville, Rosetta Carpenter of Sturgis, Delton (Bonnie) Carpenter of Sturgis and Wilma (Merlin) Classen of Bronson; grandchildren Maria and Brian Graber, April and Brad Ruckert, Amanda and Joel Sewell, Brad and Annie Carpenter, Beth Carpenter, Karla, Kurt, Kendra and Kerri Classen; great-grandchildren, Abigail and Ruth Sewell, Adriana Ruckert, Micaiah Carpenter and step-great-grandson, Colin Graber; two brothers, Floyd (Marnetta) Eichorn of Schoolcraft and Paul (Fran) Eichorn of Centreville; a sister-in-law, Mary Jane Eichorn; three brothers-in-law, Leonard Beck, Henry Schwartz and Bill Kerschner; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Edwin, Arthur and Lewis Carl Eichorn; and three sisters, Wilma Beck, Pauline Schwartz and Faye Kerschner.
The family wishes to thank JoAnn Alleshouse, Stefanie Patrick and Diane Thrasher with Hospice of Sturgis, for the kind and compassionate care shared with Esther, Marcus and the family.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. today at Calvary Chapel in Sturgis. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Chapel, with Pastors Tom Miller and Harold Carpenter officiating. Burial will follow at Locust Grove Cemetery in Findley.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made in memory of Esther, to either Calvary Chapel Mission Fund or the Galilean Children’s Home. Envelopes will be available at Calvary Chapel or the Schipper Funeral Home in Colon.
