Maryiva Carpenter Obituary (1931

Our beloved sister and aunt, Maryiva Carpenter, passed away on March 6, 2020 with her loving family by her side. She was born on July 2, 1931 in Poplar, Montana and moved back to the Granger area in 1937 where her family started a farm out of sagebrush. She graduated from Granger High School in 1949 and was president of her senior class and edited the school newspaper. After high school, her passion for serving others led her to pursue an education in nursing. She completed a 3-year nursing program at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Yakima in 1951. She became a registered nurse after passing the state exam and then earned a degree in nursing from Whitworth University. After serving at a Presbyterian mission hospital in New Mexico, she completed a masters degree in nursing from Syracuse University. She was employed as Director of Nursing at a Presbyterian mission hospital in Henderson, North Carolina for a period of time and then coordinated an Associate Degree Program in Nursing offered by Chowan College at the Duke University hospital in Durham, North Carolina. In order to be closer to her family and her aging parents, she moved to Tacoma where she taught nursing at the Pacific Lutheran University School of Nursing. She retired in 1990 to move home to care for her mother and father until their deaths and had resided on the farm she grew up on since that time. She enjoyed traveling, hosting dinners for family members, and helped organize a 4-H club in the community. Her passion for service was an inspiration to her family and friends and she enjoyed keeping up with her siblings and nieces and nephews and their children. Her stabilizing presence will be missed by her family and friends. She had a life long passion for animals and adopted many a dog from the Humane Society as her companion in her later years. Marys last days were spent at the wonderful Cottage in the Meadow facility in Yakima. She is survived by her brothers George Carpenter (Midge) of Bakersfield, CA, Thomas Carpenter (Betty), James Carpenter and John Carpenter all of Granger and sisters Ann Douthitt (Ken) of Yakima and Carol Carpenter of Berkeley, CA, nine nieces and nephews, 28 grand nieces and nephews, and 27 great grand nieces and nephews (with two on the way). A viewing will be held Wednesday March 18, 2020 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Shaw and Sons Funeral Home. Due to unforeseen circumstances the Celebration of Life has been postponed and will be held at a later date, to be determined. We will update when it becomes available. In lieu of flowers, Mary would have appreciated donations to the Yakima Humane Society in care of Shaw and Sons Funeral Home (201 N. 2nd St. Yakima, WA 98901.) Visitation Shaw and Sons Funeral Home Wednesday, March 18, 2020 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM 201 N 2nd St. Yakima, Washington 98901