Dorothy Mae (Roesel) Carpenter

Dorothy Roesel Carpenter died peacefully on December 25th at the age of 96 in Arden, North Carolina. She was born November 9, 1922 in Augusta, Georgia to Julius Max Roesel, Sr., and Annie Mae Adams Roesel. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, The Reverend Cecil W. Carpenter, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Cecilia Fritz and her brothers Julius Max Roesel, Jr. and George A. Roesel.

She is survived by two children, Dr. Walter A. Carpenter (Amy) of Atlanta, Georgia and Dr. Tina M. Carpenter (Laura Lane) of Amarillo, Texas; three grandchildren, Paul Fritz (Kirsten) of Troy, Virginia, Kate Means (Jackson) of Christiansburg, Virginia and Alan Carpenter (Claire Holmes) of Atlanta, Georgia and three great-grandchildren, Alexander Fritz, Gideon Fritz, and Rory Means.

She worshiped regularly at the Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Arden, North Carolina where she was active with the Altar Guild, the Women’s programs and the Quilters.

She received a BS degree from Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina and an MA degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where she was one of the first women to be given a Teaching Fellowship.  Additional graduate work was done at Emory University in Atlanta. She taught chemistry and related sciences in higher education and served as a resource person in Christian education for the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA.

A memorial service will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Nativity, Arden, North Carolina on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. The family will greet friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothy’s memory may be made to NovusWay Ministries or the Lutheran Church of the Nativity.

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