GRANVILLE- Elizabeth “Betty” A. (Gurney) Carpenter 85, ascended into the journey of everlasting life, on Thursday March 2, 2017; in the care and comfort of her loving family.
Betty was born on January 12, 1932, in Springfield, Massachusetts, a daughter of the late Howard and Blanche (Joubert) Gurney. She was a graduate of the High School of Commerce. For many years she lived in East Longmeadow, and in 1962 she moved to Granville . She was the first female Postmaster for the Town of Granville. Beginning her career as a part time clerk in 1965, she became Postmaster in 1983 and retired from that position in 1992. As postmaster, she started a program of having the kindergarten children from the Granville school write a letter to Santa and then come to the post office to turn the hand crank machine to cancel the stamp on their letters. Then the children would drop their letters into a specially built Post Office Box. Betty answered every letter. Betty was very involved with the Parents Group of the former Work Opportunity Center. The group planned events for their special needs family members.
Betty worshiped at Granville Federated Church; and a member of the church’s Ladies Aid . She was a member of the Granville Quilt Guild, and during our country’s Bicentennial, she added her own creation of the “post office” patch to the town’s memorial quilt. She was the originator of the “About Town Tag Sale” for the ever-popular tag sales seen around Granville. Betty started a Monday senior card game in her home that grew so much in popularity that it moved to the town hall. She was an active member of the Granville Council on Aging. For forty two years she was an Avon representative.
In addition to her parents, Betty was predeceased by a granddaughter, Catherine Carpenter in 1986.
Betty is survived by her four daughters and son: Gail Bloxom and her husband Bob, of Mooresville, North Carolina; Karen J. Carpenter and her companion John (Zeke) Zielinski, of Granville, MA; Joan deForest and her husband William, of Callahan, FL; Wendy Carpenter of Westfield, MA; and son Amos Carpenter III and his wife Karen, of Granville, MA; sister Claire Patruno of Wilbraham, MA ; brother William Gurney of Springfield, MA; sister Lois Gran of Springfield, MA; nine grandchildren, Nathan Beauregard and his wife Rebecca, of Greenfield, MA; Benjamin Huffman of Mooresville, North Carolina; Calvin Beauregard and his wife Carissa, of Westfield, MA; Colleen Giroux and her husband Walter, of Granville, MA; Jerome deForest and his wife Roxanne, of Callahan, Florida ; Mindy Virgille and her husband Daniyyel, of Jacksonville, FL; Amy Poirier and her husband Michael, of Avon, CT; Alex Carpenter and Adam Carpenter both of Granville, MA; 11 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to the caring staff, doctors, nurses and aides at Westfield Gardens and to the Beacon Hospice of Springfield, MA. Betty was especially touched by Pastor Dan and his family from Chester, MA when they came for worship and sing praises every Thursday at Westfield Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 4:00PM to 7:00PM, on Friday (March 10, 2017) in the Southwick Forastiere Family Funeral Home, 624 College Highway, (Highway 202 / 10), Southwick, MA.
A funeral service will take place at 11:00AM on Saturday (March 11, 2017) in the Granville Federated Church, 16 Granby Road, Granville, MA. Betty will be laid to rest later this spring in Silver Street Cemetery, Granville.
Memorial donations to honor Betty may be made to Ladies Aid, Granville Federated Church, P.O. Box 246, Granville, MA 01034. To express a personal condolence please visit www.forastiere.com.
