Nona Carpenter

Nona Lorraine Graves Carpenter

Nona Lorraine Graves Carpenter went to be with the Lord on January 9, 2021 at her home with her family at her bedside in Roswell, NM. Funeral services will be held on January 13, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 115 West 11th Street, Roswell, NM with interment to follow at South Park Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her Grandsons, Blake Carpenter, Eddy Mac Carpenter, Michael McClain, Hobie McClain, Nigal Carpenter and Tony Carpenter. Honorary pallbearer is Cody Carpenter.

On November 16,1933, Nona Lorraine Graves was born to Henry Allyson and Lola Lucille Graves in Oregon. She was one of eight children. She married Billy Vernon Carpenter on April 14,1954. They had three children, Eddy, Kimberly and Allyson.

Nona was a person of many talents. As a teenager, she was a rodeo queen. She loved to paint, make concho belts, canning, quilting and cooking. Her employment included waitressing, school bus driving, restaurant owner and cook of the Chaves County jail and homemaker. During Bill's time as Sheriff, she went on several trips to transport prisoners for the jail. Every time they went on one of those trips, they took every opportunity allowed to tell those prisoners about the saving grace of God. They were able to win several to Christ. She served in various ministries at church. She was involved in the bus ministry, nursery work and various youth camp kitchens or snack bars and baptistry assisting. She and Bill were Sunday School teachers and were very busy in the kitchen doing funeral dinners and the Men's Prayer breakfasts. In later years, she enjoyed being a cheer leader for her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Bill, siblings Vesta, Barbara, George, Marge, Vada and daughter-in-law Xan. She is survived by siblings Shirley Carpenter and Bill Graves; children Eddy Carpenter (Laura), Kimberly Webb (Tim) and Allyson McClain (Jim). She had 9 grandchildren, 26 great­grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

We would like to thank Kindred Hospice and Comfort Keepers for their care and kindness during Mom's last days. We would especially like to thank her special friends Emmanuel and Naeem from Comfort Keepers for the sweet gentle kindness to our Mother.

Donations can be made in Mom's memory to the Chaves County Joy Center, 1822 N. Montana Ave., Roswell, NM 88201 or Tabernacle Baptist Church Youth Fund, 115 W. 11th St., Roswell, NM 88201.