Beverly Colleen Carpenter

1940 - 2026

BEVERLY COLLEEN CARPENTER

January 18, 1940 – January 9, 2026

Beverly Colleen Carpenter passed peacefully on the afternoon of January 9, 2026 surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

Colleen was born to Ruby Rhea Rolston Hardwick and Darrel Estes Hardwick in Bangs, Texas on January 18, 1940. Colleen's family moved from Texas to California when she was 14; she attended Bakersfield High School, where she met Fletcher Gordon Carpenter. They married for the first time on August 23, 1959, in Bakersfield, CA; Colleen spoke candidly about loving Gordon so much that she married him twice. Together, Colleen and Gordon had three children: William Shane, Kelley Shawn & Michael Brett. She loved her children unconditionally.

Colleen enjoyed working as a secretary; she took much pride in being a proficient typist. Despite working full-time, she was a devoted mother; always putting dinner on the table & never missing a swim meet. She moved to Shell Beach in 1986, spent over 20 years with her partner, Sid Jeffries, and worked for the Department of the Treasury. When she retired, she'd earned the esteemed title of Revenue Officer. During her time on the central coast, she perfected her infamous strawberry jam and discovered a taste for Dorn's clam chowder.

In 2011, Colleen married her late husband, Edward "Ted" Elder. They enjoyed a quiet life, some traveling, and eventually relocated to Bakersfield. They shared a passion for gardening and landscaping: beautification of their yard was top priority. They took great pride in making their house their own and hosting all their family get-togethers.

Grammy Colleen, as she was affectionately known, treasured her family, loved baking, and more importantly, indulging in the baked goods. Everybody in her circle learned to expect her annual Christmas tray piled full of her favorite treats. She was an unapologetic fan of the male form and she was a sucker for fresh flowers. She indulged her fondness for gambling with monthly Bunco, occasional trips to Las Vegas & in her later days, playing rummy with the great grandkids. Hawaii was her favorite place; she lived there for a short while and vacationed there often.

Colleen was generous and forgiving; she only saw the best in people. Colleen always put others' needs above her own, instilled the importance of family, and greeted everybody with a cozy, comforting embrace. She exuded class and grace; she never had a hair out of place, didn't leave the house without her jewelry, and she never missed a nail appointment. Even at the end, her nails were perfectly manicured.

In her last few months, she relished all the life that she'd lived, all of the love that she had, and all of the trips that she'd taken. Colleen was content with her 85 years well-lived.

Colleen was preceded in death by Gordon Carpenter, Sid Jeffries, Ted Elder, as well as all of her siblings: Barbara Taylor, Linda Daughtery, Gene Hardwick, Vickie McSweeney and David Speed. She is survived by all three of her children, grandchildren (Michael Bryce Mosley, Matthew Eugene Mosley & William Domingo Pena) & great-grandchildren (Haylie, Natalie, Brixten, Winnie, & Cooper).

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