Dona Carpenter

Dona Carpenter, 76, passed away on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, surrounded by her family.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Jones VanArsdale Funeral Home, 107 W. Sixth, Lebo, Kansas.

Dona was born on December 19, 1948, in Emporia, Kansas, to Elmer and Ruth Mueller. She graduated from Hartford High School in 1966, and later that year, on October 19, 1966, she married the love of her life, Charles Carpenter, in Hartford, Kansas. Together, they welcomed two daughters, Renee and Charla, into their family.

Dona's early jobs included cleaning the Methodist Church in Hartford and running a daycare from their home. After moving to Emporia, Dona worked at the Emporia Gazette and Bluestem. She later took dictation for three doctors before transitioning to a front desk position in the radiology department at Newman Hospital.

Dona is survived by her loving husband, Charles Carpenter; daughters, Renee and Charla; granddaughter, Lakin Crable; great-granddaughters, Aniyah and Aspen; and great-grandson, Za-Mari. She is also survived by her brother, Terry (Billie) Mueller; sister, Linda (Willie) Johnson; nieces, Jenifer (Josh) Brothers and Desiree; nephew, Kerry; and her twin great-nieces, Lexi and Haylee.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Ruth Mueller.