Edith Carper (105) of Green Valley passed away at Glenwood Park United Methodist Village Oct. 11, 2012. She was born July 10, 1907 to Isaac William and Kate Maddox Mills of Pulaski County. Mrs. Carper was the last survivor of the Mill’s seven children.
Mrs. Carper came to Mercer County where she worked as a telephone operator and married John B. Carper in 1927. After her marriage, she was a devoted and active member of Greenview United Methodist Church in Green Valley for the rest of her life. She belonged to the United Methodist Women’s Circle during her final years as an active member.
Mrs. Carper saw many changes throughout her long life. Teddy Roosevelt was President when she was born, She lived through nineteen presidents, two World Wars plus various conflicts. News went from printed and word of mouth to satellite and television. Transportation went from horse-drawn buggy to travel to the moon. Social changes went from Victorian to the world we now know.
Mrs. Carper was known throughout her life as a wonderful homemaker and an avid gardener. She still kept plants and flowers until a few months before her death. Her niece Mary McClung, (deceased), related the following story at her 100th birthday. “Some of the best memories of my childhood were going to Edith's. In order to surprise her, sometimes Mother would let me ride the streetcar to Green Valley, near Edith's home. Looking back, I am sure they had been on the telephone and Edith was expecting me. Though we played all over the farm, we mostly stayed out of trouble. As a treat, we would be given money to buy candy at Smith's Store. There were always three cooked meals a day and all the milk we could drink. On Sunday's we children often ate at the second table because the first table would be filled by extra adults.”
At Christmas, she baked applesauce cakes and made pies to give to many family and friends. “Granny” loved cooking for her family and spending time with her grandchildren. She cared for loved-ones and suffered losses, but kept her humor and grace.
Mrs. Carper was preceded in death by her husband, John Ballard Carper, her son John Buford Carper and four brothers and three sisters.
Left to cherish her memory are her son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Minta Carper of Green Valley; four grandchildren, Debra Kipp of Midlothian, VA., Diana (Michael) Gates of Bluefield, WV., Donna (Ken) Clisso of Powell, TN., and Billy (Sherry) Carper Jr. of Mechanicsville, VA. She leaves behind four great-grandchildren, Angie (Roger) Phillips, Amanda Gates, Adam Kipp and Brian (Laura) Kipp, three great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her wonderful caregivers at Glenwood Park United Methodist Village and Princeton Community Hospital, 3rd floor Telemetry. May God bless every one of them.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, October 14, 2012 at the George W. Seaver Chapel of Seaver Funeral Home in Princeton with the Rev. Christopher Gudger-Raines officiating. Burial will follow at Monte Vista Park Cemetery in Green Valley. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Friends may call at the funeral home from 1:00 P.M. until the service hour on Sunday. Memorial contributions may be made to Greenview United Methodist Church, PO Box 6130, Bluefield, WV 24701.