Roberta Joan Carpenter

Roberta Joan Carpenter, 97, of Syracuse and formerly of Goshen, passed away Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at home.

She was born August 27, 1926, in Goshen to Merl and Edna (Berkey) Whitehead.

On November 11, 1945, she married Willis “Bill” Carpenter.  He died August 19, 2002.

Roberta is survived by two daughters, Vickie (Roger) Shuder of Syracuse and Susan (Chris) Dietz of Millersburg; two sons, Jim (Carolyn) Carpenter of Osceola and Jeff Carpenter of Hale, Michigan; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Along with her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Laverle Hartsough and Lois Kaufman Bontreger; two brothers, Robert “Bob” and Eldon Whitehead; and a grandson, Joel Meade.

Roberta began her writing career in 1959, after selling her first seven poems to a magazine.  Following this her poetry and stories were published in magazines and books.  Roberta was a Special Correspondent for The Goshen News until retiring August 8, 2017.  In 1990 she and husband Willis “Bill” wrote the book, “I was the Enemy”, which told the story of Bill’s capture and imprisonment as a German POW during WWII.  Roberta was honored by the Goshen Historical Society for her extensive research of Goshen’s history.

Roberta was thankful that God blessed her with a gift of writing and a gift of gab, which meant that she never met a stranger.

Roberta was a member of People’s Bible Church, Benton and volunteered at Goshen Hospital.  When moving to Greencroft in 2012 she felt God’s mission for her was to befriend those who were not as blessed as she was.

Visitation will be Thursday, April 4, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Friday, from 9 until the 10 a.m. funeral service, all at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.  Pastor John Randolph will officiate.

Burial will follow in Rock Run Cemetery, Goshen.

Memorial donations may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice.