Marie Esther Ordelheide Carpenter of Canon City, Colorado died June 2, 2015 in Florence, Colorado.
Mrs. Carpenter was born in Colorado Springs, CO, to Arthur and Mary Ordelheide on April 16, 1922. She was 93 years of age.
Her childhood was spent in Higginsville, MO, after the death of her father in November 1926. Her mother preceded her in death in June 1942 at Higginsville, MO. Also preceding her in death were two sisters: Gertrude A. Thaller and Charlotte A. Ordelheide. Mrs. Carpenter moved to Grand Junction, CO, in 1951 where she owned and operated a retail store for sixteen years. She was active in many community and civic organizations in Grand Junction: Chamber of Commerce, President of the Soroptimist International, member of the Business and Professional Women, active in Community Concert Association, member of Federated Music Clubs and The Western Colorado Center for the Arts.
In 1954 she was married to J. Bryce Carpenter at St. Christopher’s Mission to the Navaho by Fa. H. B. Liebler at Bluff, Utah. Mr. Carpenter preceded her in death September 1983 at the age of 96 in Canon City, CO. Mr. Carpenter was a retired J.C. Penney manager of Cape Girardeau, MO, and a graduate of the Professional Schools of the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Mrs. Carpenter received her B. Mu. Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado (Boulder) in 1971. She and Mr. Carpenter moved to Canon City, CO in November of 1973 where she held a position with the United States Department of Health and Human Resources (Social Security) from which she retired in 1984.
She was a member and soloist of Pueblo Symphony Chorale for ten years under the direction of Gerhard Track, making several concert tours of Europe.
Mrs. Carpenter had a great love for gardening, classical music, literature, history, poetry and art, and was an avid reader and student, and also a water colorist and traveler.
She was president of the Fremont County Community Concert Association for 17 years and a member of the Board of Directors in Canon City until her death. Mrs. Carpenter organized and was a member of a Joseph Campbell Study Group; President of Friends of the Canon City Library, Inc., for three years promoting the continuing weekly “Book Reviews by Citizens” in the Daily Record. She was active in the Great Books Discussion Group and organized a Readers Group that continues. She was a performing member of the Canon City Music Club and an active member of Christ Episcopal Church.
Survivors include a niece, Mary Arth of Blue Springs, MO; nephews Arthur (Connie, dec’d.) Thaller and David (Betty) Thaller of Higginsville, MO; and great-nieces and nephews. Also surviving are step-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and great-great-great grandchildren. She is survived by many friends of the communities in which she lived.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Canon City Music Club Scholarship Fund, Christ Episcopal Church, or Sangre de Cristo Hospice of Canon City, CO through the funeral home.
Memorial services will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, July 11, 2015 at Christ Episcopal Church in Canon City, CO, following cremation, with inurnment in the Chapel of Resurrection at the Episcopal Church.
Arrangements are under the care of Wilson Funeral Home. Online condolences @ www.wilsonfuneralhome.org

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