Ora Beatrice Carpenter

Ora Beatrice Carpenter July 13, 1918 - September 1, 2009 Ora Beatrice "Bea" Carpenter of Waco passed away Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with Rev. Steve Abbe, Rev. Randy Hughes and Chaplain Curtis Holland officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Bea was born July 13, 1918 in Eddy, Texas to George Pinkney Brock and Mattie Lou Brock. She attended Bruceville-Eddy I SD, graduating in the spring of 1937. In December 1938, she married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth Carpenter; they have celebrated over 70 years of marriage. She joined the Memorial Baptist Church in 1948 serving in various Sunday school classes for over 50 years and also enjoyed singing in the choir. After the closing of Memorial Baptist Church in 2003 she joined the Emmanuel Baptist Church, where she loved her T.E.L. Sunday School Class. She retired in 1981 from Cox's, working for over 18 years in the Lingerie Department and Marking Room. She was most known for her love of cooking in the kitchen for her family and friends. Her 11 grandchildren and her 13 great-grandchildren affectionately referred to her as "Mema". She is survived by her loving husband, Kenneth Carpenter; daughter, Darlene Abbe of Waco; daughter, Sharon Philbrick and husband, Jon, of Woodway; grandchildren, Steve and Cyndi Abbe, Rick and Suzanne Abbe, Larry and Lisa Philbrick, Bryan and Darla Cross, Dana Abbe, David and Crystal Minnick; and 13 beautiful great-grandchildren and numerous family and friends. Pallbearers are Rick Abbe, Larry Philbrick, Bryan Cross, David Minnick, Zach Cross and Hunter Abbe. Honorary pallbearers are her great-grandchildren. Her family would like to extend a special thank you for the loving and caring nurses at Hillcrest Medical Center and Hillcrest Hospice. The family requests that memorials be made to the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.