Laurel "Grace" Carpenter

Laurel Grace Carpenter was born on September 21, 1935 in Hermiston, Oregon, one of five children born to Russell Kenneth and Hazel Hester (Akers) Miller.  

Grace as she was most commonly known, was raised and educated in Boardman. After graduating from the Boardman High School with the class of 1953, she attended Eastern Oregon College (now University).  While at Eastern she met William Vernon "Vern" Carpenter and they were married on November 20, 1955 in Boardman.  They lived in La Grande, Payette, Idaho and Pendleton before making their home in Island City.  Eventually they had a home in Arizona where they would spend their winters.  Vern preceded her in death on February 4, 2007.

Grace worked as a TRI Clerk doing timber sales for the United States Forest Service for many years before her retirement.

She enjoyed playing pinochle, reading, travelling and was on a bowling league when she was younger.  She loved dogs and was rarely without one.  She especially enjoyed riding her three wheeled recumbent trike whith her dog Annie who would do most of the work.

Relatives who remain are her sons and daughters-in-law, Russell and Alayna of Baker City, Tom and Edna of La Grande; 5 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; a brother Jim Miller of Phoenix, Arizona and a sister Pat Osgood of Hermiston.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Mildred, and a grandson, Caleb.

A service will be held on Tuesday, March 3rd at 1:00 p.m. at Daniels-Knopp Chapel, 1502 7th Street, La Grande.  Committal and interment will follow at the Island City Cemetery.