Winifred Marian Carpenter

Winnie was born in Portland, Oregon, the youngest of Henry M. and Katherine (Sautner) Marthaller’s 13 children. She passed away at age 99 in Milwaukie, Oregon. She attended St. Clare Grade School and St. Mary’s Academy High School in Portland and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Winlock, Washington in 1932 at age 16. Winnie spent one year at Marylhurst College after which she decided she would rather work to help out at home. She got a job at Montgomery Ward in the accounting office. There she made several lifelong friends. In 1942, after the start of WW II, a friend told her about a secretarial job opening at the Officers' Club at the Portland Air Base. The Colonel interviewed her for the job and just to make sure she knew shorthand, he dictated a letter which she read back to him. He was convinced and she got the job. He never knew that she read back the dictation using only her memory. Winnie often told us that this was her favorite job. She married Rollo Carpenter on August 30, 1941. After the war they lived in Vanport with their daughter Jeannie until the Vanport Flood of 1948 where they lost almost all of their possessions. When the warning was broadcast they left with just a few items of clothing. Rollo was on duty that weekend with his National Guard unit to help with the evacuation efforts. He managed to save their dresser and headboard when he saw them float by. They had two more daughters, Kristine and Gayle. In 1953, Winnie began working at Westinghouse Electric Supply in Portland. Her co-workers soon nicknamed her “Sunshine” because of her constant cheery attitude. Over the years she held various office jobs there, the last being a Cardex Operator (inventory manager). Soon after retiring in 1975, she began extensive genealogy research for her mother’s side of the family, the Sautners. This was before computers simplified the process. Both of her parents were “Germans from Russia” immigrants. Winnie located and met many Sautner cousins previously unknown to her. Winnie said that when she was growing up, her own family was so large with brothers, sisters, their spouses as they got married, then their children, her nieces and nephews, that it never occurred to her she might have other relatives somewhere. Winnie loved being “grandma” and “great-grandma”. She looked forward to EVERY holiday and family celebration, preparing the dinners and the decorations to make each occasion special. She enjoyed ANY time spent with her Marthaller or Sautner relatives. Picnics, reunions, and get-togethers with her nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly were some of the most memorable times for her Winnie has been a parishioner at St. Agatha’s Parish since 1952. She was an active member of the Altar Society and served as President. She was a member of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women and was awarded their Woman of Achievement in 1990. She belonged to Catholic Daughters of America, Court St. Benedict, and served as Regent. She was named Oregon Catholic Daughter of the Year in 1980. In 2001, she moved to The Springs in Clackamas and was able to continue her favorite pastimes of gardening and playing the piano. She had a mini garden on her deck and got to keep her piano in her apartment. In 2008, she and her piano moved to assisted living at The Woods. She loved her music and played every day until she became ill in January. Her family is grateful for the great care and love she received from her caregivers while living there. Winnie always had a great sense of humor, a friendly smile, a positive outlook, sometimes words of wisdom, and always an abundance of enthusiasm, love, and kindness. Although our family will miss her, we have wonderful memories of her and she’ll remain in our hearts. She was predeceased by her parents, brothers, sisters, and her husband, Rollo, who passed away in 1995. She is survived by her daughters, Jean Johnson (Jesse), Kris Hunt (Gary), and Gayle Einhoff (Mike); grandchildren, Kristine Johnson Cutter, Douglas Johnson (Luciana), Lauren Hunt Stephenson (Fred), Allison Hunt (Troy Blackwell); great-grandchildren, Kendall Cutter, Courtney Cutter, Madeleine Mantsch, Alexandria Blackwell, and Matteus Johnson. Also surviving are her sister-in-law, Betty Fong of Medford, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of gifts and flowers and in the spirit of Winnie’s love and commitment to education, Winnie requested donations to the St. Agatha School Library Fund. A funeral mass will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, March 16, 2015, at St. Agatha Catholic Church. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 1:30 PM preceding the funeral mass. Following the funeral service, a reception for family and friends will be held. Private interment at Gethsemani Catholic Cemetery. Service Information