Teresa Carpenter

WILLISTON, Vt. - Teresa Marie Coppersmith Carpenter, 90, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday (Sept. 27, 2012).
She was born in Emporium, Pa., on May 4, 1922. She was one of nine children, her parents were Leroy Neil Coppersmith and Ophelia Ann Dodson Coppersmith.
She graduated from Mansfield University with a degree in music education in 1944, specializing in piano and oboe. She taught music in Pennsylvania for three years and in 1947 married Howard Carpenter and moved to Vermont. They lived in Williston, where they raised four children and were active in the community.
Among other things she was organist and choir director at the Williston Federated Church for more than 40 years, directed the Town Band for 40 years, performed in an accomplished piano trio and gave piano lessons to children and adults for more than 30 years. She was also active in various community groups - quilting group, walking group, Home Den, and she was very involved in her many grandchildren's lives.
She loved nature and all things beautiful and most recently lived at The Lodge at Shelburne Bay Assisted Living where she had many friends.
Terry is survived by her brothers, Jim (Bev) Coppersmith, George (Wilda) Coppersmith and Walter (Lorraine) Coppersmith; sister-in-law, Lois Coppersmith; sister, Grace (Bob) Peters; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Walter and Elaine Carpenter; four children, Sandy (Russ) MacNair of Lancaster, Cheryl (Jeff) Faria of Seekonk, Mass., David (Corinne) Carpenter of Earlysville, Va., and Karen (Rick) Reed of Williston; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Williston Federated Church, with a reception following in the Church Fellowship Hall. She was cremated by the Stephen C. Gregory & Sons Cremation Service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Williston Town Band, c/o Barbara Russ, 4 Brownell Way, South Burlington, VT 05403; or The Terry Carpenter Memorial Fund, a benevolent fund for Shelburne Bay residents, c/o Shelburne Bay Senior Living Community, 145 Pine Haven Shores Road, Shelburne, VT 05482.