Leona W. Carpenter

LEONA WILLIAMS CARPENTER was born on December 21, 1921 in Remington, Virginia. Her parents were the late Harry and Beatrice Williams. Leona was the third child from that union. Her sisters were Rose Jackson and Marie Qusenberry, and her brothers were Richard and Harold Williams. Leona received her early education in the Fauquier Virginia county schools. At the age of nine, she went to visit her aunt and uncle, the late Mattie and Cyrus Gwathney in Baltimore. This proved to be such an enjoyable experience that Leona eventually returned to live them, to attend the Baltimore City public schools. She graduated from Dunbar High School. She subsequently enrolled in what was formerly known as Morgan State College and, upon completion of her studies, received her B.S. Degree in Education. In 1949, Leona received a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Administration from Columbia University in New York City. A brief marriage to Tuskegee Airman, Captain Melvin T. Jackson ended in divorce. In 1952, Leona was joined in marriage to the late the Harry Albert Carpenter Jr. to whom she referred as the “love of her life”. From their joy-filled union, two children, Lynn Marie and Harry Albert III were born. Leona and Harry Jr. were doting parents who very conscientiously nurtured their children. Leona began her teaching career in the Baltimore City Public Schools. She eventually became a guidance counselor, and she retired from this field while being a faculty member of the William Lemmel Junior High School. Leona worshipped in and was extremely active in the Union Baptist Church. She taught a women’s Sunday School class for many years. That class is currently known as the Leona Carpenter Woman’s Sunday School Class. She also had a keen interest in maintaining an informative and welcoming atmosphere within the Union Baptist Church edifice. As a result, she encouraged her son, Harry III, to join her in creating beautiful artistic displays and attractive bulletin boards in the church lobby. Additionally, at Union Baptist, she founded the Cultural Arts Committee, an organization that offered free quality concerts to the public. The Cultural Arts Committee continues to be operativeWithin the greater Baltimore Community, Leona retained strong commitment to her membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. into which she had been initiated in 1945 while a student a Morgan. She also served as a past president of The DuBois Circle, an African American Women’s Organization founded in 1906. During her leadership tenure, the Circle was recognized at Carnegie Hall during a celebration of the life and contributions of Dr. W.E.B. DuBois. Additionally, she enjoyed her involvement in the Mondawmin Child Study Group, Jack and Jill of America and “The Score Keepers”, a pinochle club. Leona was an avid shopper and she particularly enjoyed discovering shops that offered unique clothing and unusual gift items. She loved going to sales with her dear friend Mary Johnson. She also loved exploring various shops during family vacations in Cape May, New Jersey. During her lifetime, turquoise was her preferred color, and she enthusiastically welcomed all opportunities to attend plays and concerts. Leona Carpenter especially treasured family times and was fondly recognized as the “family telephone counselor”! She was an extremely hospitable entertainer who hosted many memorable Thanksgiving dinners. Her garden, with its birdbath and feeder, brought much joy to her life and to the lives of her guests. Her cream cheese pound cakes and her strawberry short cakes were stellar culinary treats. Her husband, Harry Jr., son, Harry III, siblings, Marie, Rose, Richard and Harold preceded Leona in death. On June 3, 2019, while at Harmony Hall, an assisted living facility, Leona Williams Carpenter entered into Eternal Rest. To cherish her memory and to celebrate her life, Leona leaves: her daughter, Lynn Carpenter Coleman; her son-in-law, Carlton Maurice Coleman; her nieces and nephews, Denise R. Williams M.D., Antoinette Parks, Reginald Qusenberry, Ph.D., Harold Leon Williams, Jr., Glen L. Williams, Dennis D. Williams and George Frizzell; Carlton’s sisters (who were considered Leona’s “other daughters”), Pamela Coleman, M.D. and Tamara Coleman; and a godson, David Macer.

Tributes

Leona W. Carpenter

December 21, 1920 - June 3, 2019