Eunice Mae Carpenter

Eunice (born Unas) Mae Carpenter, 95, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2024. She remained in her home of 65 years until the day of her death.

Eunice was born in 1929 in Crystal, N.D. She was the firstborn of her mother, Maggie, and father Albert Springsted. Eunice spent her summers painting interiors and exteriors with her father in his painting business and working in the family gardens and farms. She often told the story of being on a runaway horse and buggy ride back in the North Dakota farmlands. Being almost six feet tall, she was a star basketball player throughout her youth. Paul met Eunice when he was on leave from the army and driving a potato truck through a field where she was picking potatoes in in North Dakota. She was a stunning beauty.

Eunice was feisty until the end, living up to a dear neighbor friend’s nickname given her years before, Tiger. She was a caring and ever-present mother and grandmother. For many years she hosted large family holiday dinners and summer gatherings and was well known as a fabulous cook. Eunice was firm in her faith, daily praying for family and friends.

Eunice’s love of gardening, reading, writing and music was passed on to her four children Paul, Peter, Joseph and Teri. She had many passions but her greatest was her flower and vegetable gardens. She grew a forest out of mud and rocks. “Every seed that drops here grows” was one of her famous comments. No pesticides or herbicides were used in her Gardens of Eden, which meant lots of weeding and some areas of “weedy” English beds full of flowers peeking out from grasses and bushes. She had numerous varieties of iris, clematis, chrysanthemum, dahlias and bulbs. She even pollinated some new varieties for her own pleasure. 

Eunice believed in “reduce, reuse, recycle” before it became a popular way of life. She was a keeper of “single-use things”. She collected coffee grounds, aluminum pie pans, plastic tubs, et cetera. You would see spring plantings in her windowsills started in these keepers, the soil was enriched with coffee grounds and egg shells. 

Eunice loved animals as well. She was the primary caretaker of numerous dogs, cats, sheep, geese and, of course, horses. She nurtured whatever interests and passions her children aspired to, whether it was music or animals, etc. She was a woman of many talents. Among her many gifts was home decorating and garden design as well as drawing in watercolor and chalk. While her kids were in school Eunice loved to take day drives all over Eastern Washington to celebrate the Western and Indian culture and landscape. She made lifelong friends at garden club meetings and while creating blue ribbon fair flower booths with the Dirt Daubers, as well as weekly bowling leagues and tournaments. Eunice played a very big role in the Cherokee horse club her children belonged to – assisting in creating and making costumes for the rodeo grand entry and parade as well as ribbons for their small gymkhanas and annual campouts at Black Rock Lake and the Potholes. She was well-respected in the community. 

Eunice contributed many hours and years to both the Moses Lake and Skyline Acres communities in which she resided since 1953 and 1961 respectively. Eunice and Paul worked together giving to different entities that included sponsoring bowling teams, baseball teams and belt buckles at rodeos for many years. Paul transported the original Moses Lake hospital building to Skyline Acres to be used as a community club for 4-H Club and community meetings. They also donated land for a neighborhood park on the Peninsula, Carpenter Park. To say they were generous is an understatement. 

Eunice was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Paul S. Carpenter, Sr.; her father, Albert Springsted; her mother, Maggie Frances (Martin) Springsted (who passed when Eunice was 2 1/2 years of age); her stepmother, Edna Springsted; her sister, Margaret Sorensen; and her stepbrother, Ray Springsted. She is survived by her brother, Stanley Springsted and her four children, Paul, Teri, Peter and Joseph. She was Gramma to six grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. Additionally, Eunice was Auntie to many nieces and nephews and their extended families. 

In lieu of flowers please donate to the MS Society or a charity of your choice. Mom participated in several drives for the local MS society. Her father lived until 72 years of age with a diagnosis of MS.

There will be a celebration of life June 29, 2024, from 3 to 7 p.m. in Mom’s yard. Please join us in celebrating this amazing woman’s life.

    Eunice (born Unas) Mae Carpenter, 95, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2024.