Dawn Elissa Carpenter

1960 - 2016

On Sept. 22, 1960, at 4:55 a.m., a beautiful 6 lb. 12 oz. baby was born to Charlotte and Wesley Carpenter at the U.S. Army Hospital, Camp Leroy Johnson, New Orleans. Her name was Dawn Elissa Carpenter. She was welcomed with much love from her family. 
Born into a military family, she and her siblings began a journey. They went to Fouras, France, and she learned a well-placed squeal got instant attention from mommy, but onto Fort Eustis, Virginia, and she was willing to give up that scream as it brought trouble and the wrong attention. And it was here a baby sister, Leslie, entered the family and received Dawn's love, evident from that early age.
Next onto Yorktown, Virginia. Her daddy went to Vietnam; and leaning on the comfort and mischievous doings of siblings became the cement that made her who she would become. After a short year in Nuremburg, Germany, where she did well in school, the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where she and her siblings graduated from Madrid Elementary and West Phoenix High schools.
In 1988, she continued her journey, helping her brother get his family to Fairbanks. Dawn lived a full, busy life which included helping to raise her brother's twins, Samantha (Bissue) and Joshua.
Dawn chose not to have children but was a stand-in for many by giving advice and demonstrating they can better themselves. She felt their pain and sorrows and gave a lot of love along the way. She believed in helping others, enjoying life and finding humor in the everyday work load.
Her job on the North Slope began as a temporary one when Fairbanks Co-op and Drug purchased the store and post office from the Childs, and she was tasked with relocating the store. This began the decade of Dawn and the North Slope, and set the stage for her. With knowledge from the Slope, she assisted her parent's move from Phoenix to Two Rivers in 1995. From proper attire to vehicles and driving and living in the cold, she made their transition a memorable and joyous one.
She made many friends while working in Prudhoe Bay and continued to be close to many up until her passing.
She worked as a store clerk at Prudhoe Bay General Store and took on incredibly challenging work at the Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay post office, the busiest contract branch in the western U.S. and the only post office in the entire oilfield. She became clerk in charge, which is equivalent to postmistress, of the biggest little post office in America.
She flourished as she worked 12 hours per day, 7 days per week, getting mail in and out, delivering letters and love to oilfield workers, sending birthday cards and business mailings, being the oilfield workers' lifeline of communication before cellphones and internet came to Prudhoe.
Dawn never changed jobs in the oilfield but lived in the old Childs' Camp, South Lake Inn, Nana Camp and VECO Camp. She forged lifetime friendships with people across the spectrum of oilfield workers.
She attracted engineers and laborers, all eager to relax after work with conversation and a moment away from the demands of the job. She was a great listener. She would share your dreams. Enthuse over photos of your children. Enjoy your stories and tell some of her own. That was our Dawn.
She dared bring Sassy, a chocolate cocker, and Sammy, her beloved niece, to the oilfield, where each thrived in what could have been a hostile environment. But have no fear, Dawn was here.
Dawn's job came to a stop when she got injured on the job and her doctor never gave approval for her to return to her job. 
Once healed, she took a part-time bookkeeping job for Todd Krier, owner of Totem Chevron. That job lasted 12 years. She became a full-time employee and an asset to her boss. She went back to University of Alaska Fairbanks to become qualified as a service writer. She ran the business while her boss was absent for awhile, always accepting the help of Todd's father, Jerry Krier. With Todd's return, she found out she was fighting a battle against inoperative, stage four pancreatic cancer, and the doctors told her she had around six months to live.
Her battle was fought bravely with help from family and friends, especially her older sister, Ginny Abnett, who was given power of attorney. Ginny was unwavering at her sister's side, putting Dawn's needs first as they traveled to Seattle for doctor appointments and making it possible to say some goodbyes along the way.
In the care of the hospice team in Fairbanks, Dawn lost her battle within four months of diagnoses, and on July 11, 2016, said her final goodbye to her mom and Ginny with the words "I love you guys," and at 2:06 a.m., she went to the light and when he called, she entered Jesus' arms.
She was preceded in death by her daddy, Wesley Carpenter; grandparents, great-grandparents, nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is survived by her mom, Charlotte Carpenter, of Fairbanks; older brother Joseph Carpenter, of Two Rivers; older sister Virginia Carpenter (Abnett), of Fairbanks; and younger sister Leslie Carpenter (Hoffman), of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; aunts Opal Rush, of Tomball, Texas; Bernetta Swietnicki, of Phoenix; and Pearl Sole, of Rayland, Ohio; and many nieces, nephews and cousins too many to mention.
The friendships Dawn made lasted forever, until her dying day, which is why we will gather one last time to celebrate our friend who always celebrated us.
Her ashes will be laid to rest in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery on Friday evening with a small group of family and friends.
A potluck memorial service will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 30, at the Pleasant Valley Community Center, in Two Rivers behind the General Store. 
Please bring your favorite dish to share and happy memories of our loving Dawn, who was always trying to give others the best she had to give. She will be missed by many, many people.
Please visit www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsminer to sign an online guest book.