- Date Of Birth: August 4, 1930
- Date Of Death: March 5, 2022
- State: Iowa
Dorothy Gale Bascom Carpenter, the daughter of Albert and Albia Zinfer Bascom, was born on August 4, 1930 in Vinton, Iowa. She graduated in 1948 from Van Horne High School in Van Horne, Iowa. Dorothy attended Iowa State Teachers College (UNI), where she met the love of her life, Gerald. She later received her BA in Elementary Education and her MA in Elementary Education from the University of California Northridge.
On October 28, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage with Gerald Carpenter in Vinton. They were blessed with three children, Larry, Cathy and Barb. Dorothy was an-award winning elementary school teacher and reading specialist.
Dorothy had been a long time and very active member of PEO and of the United Methodist Women. She loved to travel and spend time with family and friends. Dorothy enjoyed reading and reciting poetry, especially to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was extremely organized and took excellent care of herself and everyone she loved. Dorothy was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and teacher.
Dorothy died on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Park Centre in Newton surrounded by the love of her family. She was 91. She was preceded in death by her parents, 4 sisters and 3 brothers.
Those left to cherish Dorothy’s memory are her husband of 72+ years, Gerald of Newton; son, Larry (Joy) Carpenter of Tinley Park, Illinois; daughters, Cathy (Mike) Wignall of Newton and Barb (Ben) Bussman of Genoa, Illinois; her six grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, her brother, Vernon Bascom of Vinton and many nieces and nephews.