Wanda Ruth Carpenter

Wanda Ruth (Dirr) Carpenter, 94, of Bemidji, MN, passed away October 11, 2023, in Bemidji, MN. She was born April 10, 1929.

She was the daughter of Alma (McLain) Dirr and Roy Dirr, both deceased. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray A. Carpenter, and a brother, Gene Dirr. She is survived by her sister, Bonnie (Wayne-deceased) Creager, and brother, Larry (Phyliss-deceased) Dirr. Wanda has two children, Lettie (Tom) Ingmire Eagar and Lisa (Ken) Robinette, and three stepchildren, Bill (Sue-deceased) Carpenter, Esther Moore (deceased), and Donny (Roxanne) Carpenter. She has nine grandchildren; Brian (Trina) Ingmire, Jeremy (Andrea) Ingmire, Lori (Brent) Sprunger, Toni (Jim) Gillig, Doug (Alisha) Carpenter, Luke (Shelly) Carpenter, Jonah (Kathryn) Carpenter, Andrew (Emily) Carpenter, and Catherine Rae Eagar. There are also twenty great-grandchildren.

Wanda worked as a clerk in the Allen County Circuit Court system in Fort Wayne, IN for several years. She started college in her forties at the University of Saint Francis, graduating with her Bachelors degree and then Masters degree in Elementary Art Education. She taught art at Village and Leo Elementary schools in Fort Wayne for over twenty years. Wanda loved to fish and spent many summers at the family's private camp on Lake Kipawa in Quebec, Canada. She also loved to travel, especially in Alaska while visiting her daughter Lisa. She was a talented oil painter and enjoyed teaching and sharing her art with her family.

No memorial service is planned at this time. The family will host a Celebration of Life service and interment of her ashes at Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne, IN, in the spring of 2024. Condolences may be left at ceasefuneralhome.com.