Cleo Carpenter

Cleo Christman Carpenter died peacefully on Thursday, May 12th, at Elison Assisted Living in Marietta, OH, with family members at her side.  She was 102 years old. 

Cleo was born July 22, 1919, in the family farm house near Calais, Monroe County, Ohio.  She was the youngest child of John and Clara (Ackerman) Christman. 

Cleo attended school at Calais for 11 years, but graduated from Lewisville High School.  She attended college at Ohio University, and later taught school in Calais and in Brimfield, Ohio (Portage County). 

Cleo married Carl Carpenter, Sr in 1941.  They raised their children in Zanesville from 1947 to 1952, and in Brimfield (near Kent) from 1952 to 1980.  Cleo and Carl then moved to Lewisville, close to where they both had been raised.  They celebrated 60 years of married life together before Carl preceded Cleo in death in 2001.  Cleo moved from their farm in Lewisville to assisted living in Marietta in 2011.

Cleo valued family above all else. There were always freshly baked cookies at Cleo’s home for family and guests. Cleo loved her flower and vegetable gardens, and wild birds.  She made amazingly detailed quilts.  She enjoyed history, especially family history and genealogy.  Cleo also enjoyed working at the local food pantry.

Surviving is one daughter, Darlene Lewis of Stow, OH, and three sons, Lyle Carpenter of Rootstown, OH, Carl, Jr. (Peggy) Carpenter of Marietta, OH, and David (Judy) Carpenter of Delaware, OH.  Cleo has six grandchildren (Eric, Jolie, Stewart, Alex, Layne and Kara) and four great-grandchildren (Megan, Casey, Caden and Elise).

She is preceded in death by her husband, five brothers and three sisters, and a daughter-in-law (Helen Carpenter).

Friends and family will be received at Watters Funeral Home, Woodsfield, OH.  Visiting hours will be Tuesday (May 17) from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.  The funeral service will be Wednesday, May 18th at 11:00 am.  Burial will follow at the Calais Cemetery, adjacent to the Christman family home where Cleo was born.

Donations in Cleo’s memory can be made to the Woodsfield Manna, SOMA Food Pantry and the Lewisville United Methodist Church.

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