Yvonne A. Carpenter

Yvonne A. Carpenter

Age: 88 of Haddonfield

Passed away on September 19, 2025. Yvonne was the devoted wife of Thomas "Tuck "Carpenter (pre-deceased) for 59 years; adoring mother of Thomas Andrew "Andy" (Lara) Carpenter, Kelly (Brad) Carpenter Minor, Scott "Casey" (Dineen) Carpenter, and Karey (Mike) Carpenter Dooley; cherished grandmother of 11 and great-grandmother of one, older sister to Randall (Gloria) Irion, and Richard Irion both of Vineland, NJ.

Yvonne was born in 1937 in Philadelphia, PA, and later moved to Vineland, NJ, where she was raised alongside her two younger brothers, Randall and Richard Irion. She often shared stories of her family life and her elementary school-age days, which were marked by restrictions during World War II. Her love of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries influenced her when telling stories of her own with dramatic flair, just another side of her creativity.

Yvonne was born with a natural talent and utilized her gift of art in drawing, painting, and other media throughout her education, graduating from Vineland High School in 1955. She adored her school-aged friends and often spoke of nights in her family's basement as a teenager, almost every weekend, as some of her happiest memories. Yvonne followed her interest in modern art to become a member of the first graduating class of art students from Glassboro State College, now known as Rowan University. She went on to become an elementary and middle school art teacher in both Stratford and Haddonfield Schools.

She and her husband Tuck loved sharing the story of the night they met on a triple blind date; within a week, they were never apart, marrying in 1965. Yvonne and Tuck raised their four children in his hometown of Haddonfield, NJ. Their family home was an 1878 Victorian she loved with all her heart and soul, where her creative talents were on full display. Yvonne, with Tuck's help, brought new life to every corner of their home, from refinishing the woodwork to hand-stenciled walls and the addition of intricate, period-authentic molding she created by hand. Her early love of modern art took a turn while restoring their home when she found an appreciation for antiques and an aspiration for old-world German Christmas decorations. From that spawned a Christmas business called Snickles and Kringle's based out of her home, creating ornately detailed, old-fashioned Christmas figurines and yuletide characters for collectors and high-end gift shops across the country, all while raising her family. Her work and reputation were showcased in several national magazines, publications, and even on the White House tree.

Yvonne loved games of all sorts, spending hours teaching her family how to play competitive backyard games of Croquet, Badminton, or Horseshoes. She raised her family on cards and board games and looked forward to playing Rummy with her grandchildren, teaching them tricks and strategies while always taking down her opponent. Nine out of ten times, she came out as the winner! She was an avid sports fan, fully engaged in every moment of the Olympics for the two-week span they were hosted both summer and winter and of course passionately followed the Phillies and Eagles as if she were financially invested.

Her life's work was to stay true to who she was as both a creative artist and a mother. She actively encouraged both her children and grandchildren to use their creativity in all aspects of life, mentoring and supporting them along the way. She was a gourmet cook and relished the opportunity to host dinner parties for friends in her beloved home, especially during the Christmas Season. Her knack for adding drama to a story or old-time proverbs offered her experience and wisdom we will always hold dear. She and our father often expressed how grateful and blessed they were to have built the life and relationships that surrounded them. She deeply cherished time with family and friends, and seeing her grandchildren so often kept her heart full and her card game strong. Mom, you were an "ACE" in the deck of Life! If you could strike gold or pick up your hand for parents, we would all pick you both again in the game of Life! Thank you for picking us! We love you, Mom!

The family will privately hold services for Yvonne. In place of flowers, charitable donations in Yvonne's name may be made to The Haddonfield Historical Society, 343 King's Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ 08033. (https://haddonfieldhistory.org/support/donations/)