Gloria Jean Carpenter

Gloria Jean (Tipton) Carpenter of Sylvania, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 27, 2023, at Kingston Care Center, in Sylvania surrounded by her family. Gloria was born April 6th, 1931, in the far north end of East Toledo, then called Ironville. Her family had moved there in the 1920’s from Southern Ohio. Her father was employed as the Fire Marshall for the large Gulf Oil Refinery located along the Maumee River nearby. Her family moved near Waite High School in East Toledo before her first birthday. Robert Lee Tipton and Dessie Loper Tipton had a well-established family before their youngest child, Gloria, was born. There were three sisters: Glenna, Eileen, and Geneva, and three brothers: Harold, Tom, and Robert. The oldest sister graduated from high school and the youngest brother was eleven when she was born, so she always felt she lived with aunts and uncles instead of brothers and sisters.

Her three older sisters all played the piano, so they had her singing “Red Sails in the Sunset” on the Uncle Jules’s program on WSPD radio at 4 years old. Gloria later also learned to play the Hammond Organ and the piano. While in the third grade, she had piano recitals at the Toledo Zoo’s indoor theater. She was often called upon to play and devoted time at a local nursing home so the residents could enjoy the music.

She told stories of taking tap dance lessons in the late 1930’s with a teacher who had a large Victorian home on North Summit Street in Toledo. She said they would tap dance through the large home on hardwood floors, then out the side door, around the porch, and right back in the front door. Dancing became a lifelong passion.

Gloria attended Garfield Elementary School kindergarten through the eighth grade. She enjoyed being a cheerleader her seventh and eighth grade years. In 1945, she entered Waite High School. In 1947, just before her junior year, her father died at 55 years of age. She graduated on a Thursday in June 1949. She continued to support her Alma Mater for decades on the reunion committee.

She was picked by the Waite Dean of Girls to accept a position at the Locke Branch Library in East Toledo. She worked at Locke Branch from 1949 to 1954, when she was promoted to senior clerk of circulation at the Main Desk of the Downtown Library. She eventually retired from the Glann School branch of the library in 1958. This vocation allowed her to hone her problem solving, research, and organizational skills. She often noted that you can have everything, but what’s that worth if you don’t know where to find it? If all else fails, call the library.

In 1953, either through fate or maybe cupid, she was reintroduced to William John Carpenter, Jr. through mutual friends. Although they came from very different backgrounds, they went together very well. On February 12, 1955, Gloria Jean Tipton’s engagement to William J Carpenter Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Carpenter, Sr. of Burbank Drive was announced by her mother Mrs. Robert L. Tipton of Mott Avenue at a party in the Tipton home. The wedding was set for October 22, 1955, at Euclid Avenue Methodist Church. The bridal party formed a heavenly blue atmosphere at the altar. Their guests were greeted at the East Toledo Club for dinner and dance. A honeymoon at Niagara Falls followed. They celebrated over 67 wonderful years of marriage together.

In May of 1955, Bill and Gloria bought a lot on Newhart Circle in Adams Township's Reynolds Corners area on which he would build their first home.

Soon it was time to prepare for the birth of their first child – a baby girl, Diana Jean. On February 15, 1958, she was born in the old Flower Hospital and Gloria stayed in room 363. They thought they were pretty old to be having children at age 26 and 27 so they took a parenting course offered by the Red Cross in order to be informed. Deborah Kay was born the next year, February 13, 1959. Again, Gloria stayed at the old Flower Hospital in room 363. At the time, the doctor told them that having two children less than a year apart is much harder than having twins. But they managed it in stride. Their third daughter, Constance Lee, was born on August 8, 1965, at Flower Hospital. Now up to this point, each time she was in the delivery room, Gloria would hear the nurse say, “We’ll put her in room 363.” The first time she thought that sounded like a good number. The second time, she told them, “That would be fine – I was there last year.” But the THIRD time she heard it and said “That is my third time in that room,” the nurses just laughed at her. The next day they came in and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter, if you ever decide you want to have a boy could you please call ahead and we will try to put you in a room other than 363!” But they thought three girls would be plenty.

In her late teens, Gloria was treasurer of the Older Methodist Youth of Ohio. She was very active during the 1940’s with the Ironville Methodist Church and the Toledo Council of Churches. She was a prominent figure in the Good Friday Services held at the old Paramount Theater for many years. After she married, the family all attended Asbury United Methodist Church. All three girls were baptized there. She and Bill were members for 38 years. She was treasurer of the United Methodist Women for 17 years. She also entertained the women at a Christmas Breakfast at her home for 20 years and many, many luaus. Both were always on one or two committees. They also dedicated their time to keeping the children active there in the choirs and youth groups. When the girls came home from school and Gloria wasn’t there, they simply had to check the calendar to see whether she was at the church for a funeral dinner, money making project, a circle meeting, or some other event. After retirement they had transferred to the First United Methodist Church of Sylvania.

In the Fall of 1991, they decided to build a new home and found a lot in Sylvania. Gloria was worried how she could ever leave their perfect first family home that Bill had built. But she found a plan layout that she liked and with a few minor adjustments from dad they had designed the perfect party house. A lot of time and thought was put into each room to make it a very special, custom place.

Gloria was always very active and supportive in her daughter’s lives. She was always there for all their activities and encouraged them to try anything they had an interest in. Talent contests, hobby fairs, style shows in grade school, she was always there for the room parties on holidays and Bill drove them across town for tap dancing lessons, following in Gloria’s tap shoes. Then there were the violin lessons, cello lessons, piano lessons, orchestra concerts, choir concerts, school plays, and even their sporting events. Although it should be noted that Gloria was not crazy about the sports – she was absolutely convinced that the girls would lose their teeth when – not if – they were hit by the ball. This support and encouragement continued as she attended many, many events, cheering on her grandchildren in their pursuits.

Gloria’s kitchen was always a center of activity. Her daughters learned to can fruits and vegetables they picked themselves, as well as learning to cook meals, and bake pies, and create other things. They all remember making over 20 types of cookies some years at Christmas time! And of course, her pecan tarts.

Gloria thoroughly enjoyed the pool and deck that Bill built and spent many summer days taking advantage of the cool water despite not wanting to get her hair or face wet! In the summer she often put off her weekly wash and set to lessen the pressure to keep it perfectly coiffed. It was a banner day when she first picked up a red washer from the bottom of the pool - she was not always the mermaid that she later became!

The family went on many excursions together. There were camping trips and other adventures outdoors. They would pile in the car to see Blue Hole, the Air and Space Museum, and the Pumpkin Show. Trips to Cedar Point were also common, where Gloria enjoyed the boat and the train – the most exotic rides she would try other than the Giant Wheel. There were also long car rides to locations such as Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., Williamsburg, or Boston. In 1975, they enjoyed a trip together alone for their twentieth wedding anniversary to Hawaii. The last big family vacation was in 1991 when Gloria organized a week at Maumee Bay State Park with excursions to local attractions. There were 13 there at that time, as each of the girls brought their families along as well.

Although Gloria retired from the library in 1958, she never stopped working. For many years when the children were young, she was known in Reynolds Corners as the “May Day Lady.” Bill made a merry-go-round with six horses and a May Pole in their backyard. Each year on May 1st, the children near Newhart Circle were invited for May Day Parties with rides, games, and food. After her mother died in 1969, she kept up the tradition of baking and handing out pumpkin cookies to everyone who came to the door on Hallowe’en. Folks who may not have known her name certainly knew her pumpkin cookies and the giant pumpkin on the streetlight.

Gloria was a past officer and very active in the Mothers’ Clubs and Parent Teacher Organizations of Glann Elementary, McTigue Junior High, and Rogers High School where the girls attended. In 1978, she went on to be active as treasurer and president of the Ohio State University Parents Association of Lucas and Wood Counties when Deb was at OSU. She also spent time at the Chi Omega Social Events at the University of Toledo with Diana and Connie in the 70’s and 80’s.

Since 1950, she had been an active sister in Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority, starting out with the little sisters of Nu Phi Mu. In 2002, she received her 50-year Golden Circle Award in Beta Sigma Phi.

She was a life member of the Friendly Center Service Guild which is a mission of the United Methodist Church in North Toledo and dedicated over 65 years there. She was active for over 65 years as a life member of the Flower Hospital Guild. She was president of the guild for three years which allowed her a position on the Flower Hospital Board as well. She was very active and a past president several times since 1958 in the local chapter of the “Bibs to Bobby Sox” League of the Ohio Child Conservation League. She served on the board of the Toledo Federation of the OCCL as well. After her move to Sylvania, she was accepted into the Secor-Vernon League to further her work with children. Her dedication to service is reflected in the lives and careers of her children and grandchildren.

She was honored to become a member of Samagama Club of Presidents in 1979 and had been active there ever since. She firmly believed that things should be done properly and always had her copy of Robert’s Rules of Order in hand. “If it is worth doing it is worth doing right,” is a hard motto in a “Done is better than perfect” world. Always strive for your best.

Gloria was a talented seamstress as well. She created dresses, formals, and even jeans. She even made sport coats for Bill. The family always had coordinating outfits for every important occasion. She was a firm believer that things should match, and also that it was better to be overdressed than under. One year she organized her CCL group to make 15 choir robes for a group of boys at St. Paul’s Methodist Church.

In addition to sewing, she was always into handmade crafts. Many craft shows were held at the house on Newhart Circle; organized by Gloria with crafts she made, as well as those of Bill, her three girls, and family friends. She named the group “Happiness is Homemade.” She had a mailing list for the shows of hundreds of people. When the new house in Sylvania was built, she kept up the theme there as well because her home itself and so many items in it were handcrafted by her family and friends. She volunteered at the Manor House at Wildwood almost since it opened. She thought it was such a good idea that she invited Bill and Diana to join her as well. She worked many, many years for the Board of Elections, serving as a precinct chairman at Reynolds Corners Library and at Glann School.

In 1995, she added water therapy to her list of activities. Since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1993, a muscle syndrome she had been troubled with all of her life, she had been active at the St. James Club. The wonderful exercise and good friendships with the other mermaids helped keep her strong and healthy.

More than anything else, though, she and Bill both loved to dance and entertain. Bill was well aware of all the parties Gloria loved to have long before the wedding. They held their first party for their first anniversary before they even had furniture for the house. The garage floor was poured – so Gloria thought “Why not have a square dance in the big empty space?” Shortly after, still no furniture, she held an Oriental themed party for her Beta Sigma Phi sisters in the living room – bring your own pillow! They loved square dancing as well as ballroom dancing. They even won many contests. They joined a dinner dance group called the Canticle Dance Club in 1960. This merged into the Carousel Club, The Reveler’s Dance Club, The Rondelet Dance Club, and now the Lamplighters Club. They were officers in many of these clubs. During 2002 and 2003 they were co-presidents of the Westchester Dance Assembly. They were always sure of 6 beautiful dances with “their kind of music” each year. She served as publicist of the Friends of Centennial Terrace, with Johnny Knorr to keep dancing alive. She had danced at Centennial Terrace since 1950, so she was thrilled to be so close when they moved to Sylvania. It was not unusual for her to go out for an evening of dancing there and then invite 12 or more friends back to the house for dessert at midnight.

Her homes have been the venue for parties with many and varied themes. Each vision organized to the tiniest detail and executed with precision, everything matching. Ever since that first Oriental party in the empty living room, things had just gotten better. Over 100 people once attended a luau in the backyard complete with smoking volcano and blue lagoon. There have been patriotic fourth of July parties, Hallowe’en costume parties, the Christmas Cookie exchange that she later shared with Diana, and many, many, more. It would not have been unusual for her and Bill to host over 200 people at Christmas time. Gloria and Bill have been honored by their friends with the titles the “Host and Hostess with the Mostest.” They touched the lives of many, many people and discovered a lot of joy in doing it.

Left to cherish Gloria’s memory include her children: Diana (Jack) Randolph of Sylvania OH, Deborah (Chris) Johnson of Hilliard OH, and Connie (John) Macko of South Euclid OH; grandchildren: Sara (Phil) Stockwell, Christopher (Sarah) Chamberlain, Ian (Zoe) Carpenter, Megan (Thor) Nearn, Amanda (Scott) Sanderson, Breanna (Kirk) Ostojic, Morgan (Jake) Peer, and Marshall Johnson; great-grandchildren: AJ, Tyler, Jace, and Drew Stockwell, Cole Corbiere and Chase Chamberlain, Parker Chamberlain, Ivy, Margot, and Sullivan Carpenter, Addisyn and Brody Nearn, Grant and Zoey Sanderson, and Elanor Ostojic. She is preceded in death by her husband Bill, grandson Matthew Chamberlain and siblings: Glenna (Charles) Belkofer, Harold (Opal, Elsie) Tipton, Eileen (Donald) Lorenzen, Geneva (Earl) Ring, Thomas (Lola) Tipton, Robert G Tipton.

The family invites friends to celebrate her life with them on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Walker Funeral Home, Sylvania Ave. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 11am (livestream recording available.) The family will receive guests one hour before. Burial will follow at Toledo Memorial Park.

Memorial donations may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter or The Michigan Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.