Mary Carpenter

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday at 9 a.m. at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Parish prayer service will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka, Kansas 66614. Visitation will follow until 4 p.m. for Mary Carpenter who passed on Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at Stormont Vail Health Center, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Mary Carpenter was born on November 27, 1937 at Berwyn, Nebraska the daughter of Cyril F. and Anne M. Clarke-Brown. Mary graduated from St. Cecilia's High School and attended Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska. She married Larry L. Carpenter, August 17, 1957, he survives. They have two sons and their partners, Richard C. Carpenter and Rich Hendry of Boston, Mass. and Randell L. and Nancy A. Carpenter of Salt Lake City, Utah. Mary is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Cyril F (Mick) and Marcia Brown of Austin, Texas; sister-in-law and her husband, Joan and Wayne Brannigan, Hastings, Nebraska; and many nieces and nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and four brothers, Robert James, Gerald Patrick, John Edward and Hugh Gilbert Brown and a sister, Patricia Arnie Brown-Bird. Mary was employed by Capitol Federal Savings for thirty-three years and retired in March of 2000 as Vice President and Branch Manager. She volunteered for The Greater Topeka United Way for twenty-five years, serving on the Campaign Cabinet, Speakers Bureau and the Citizens Review panel. She served on the Board at Cornerstone of Topeka, Inc. as Treasurer, Vice-President and President. Mary also volunteered as a Community Living partner to families in transition and on the Family Selection Committee. She served on the Board of the American Cancer Society, Shawnee County Unit, as Treasurer. She served on the Jail and Bail, Trail Ride, Relay for Life, Residential Campaign, and the Wine Auction Committees. Mary was a member of American Business Women's Association, the Women's Council Of Realtors and Theata Omicron Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi. She received the "Woman of The Year" award in all three organizations. She was selected as a "Woman of Excellence" to represent Capitol Federal Savings. Mary was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church, where she was a lay Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Perpetual Adoration group and served on the Finance committee for several years. She was a member of the Vocation Committee and a Prayer Partner. She was a member of St Matthew's Altar Society and served as Treasurer and President of that organization. Mary was also a member of St Michael's Guild. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to St. Matthew Catholic Church or American Cancer Society sent in care of the funeral home.

Mary Carpenter

November 27, 1937 - February 1, 2012