Obituary of Diana Fraser Carpenter

Diana Fraser Carpenter 77, mother, friend, teacher, musician and writer, passed away on September 30, 2015, surrounded by her four children. She was born August 14, 1938 in London, England, and moved shortly thereafter to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she lived for most of her childhood and teenage years. She graduated from the Academy of the New Church Girls School and received her Bachelor's degree from Bradford College and her Master's Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She married Christopher Smith in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania in 1968. They moved to Toronto, Ontario where her son, Justin was born and then moved to Dawson Creek, British Columbia where her other children, Gillian, Carolyn and Malcolm were born. In 1976 the family relocated to Kitchener, Ontario where they resided until 1986 and then returned to Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. After ending her marriage, Diana moved to Tucson in 1992, where she lived for the remainder of her life. Her passion for music, the arts, and volunteer work helped her meet a new community of life-long friends. She loved reading, writing, singing, yoga and swimming. In 1999 she met Sally Hansen, who became her partner of 14 years before Sally died of lung cancer in 2013. Throughout her life Diana made friends everywhere she went, and lived life to the fullest. She especially loved traveling, including recent trips to Russia, France, Hawaii, Ireland, the Pacific Northwest and particularly Encinitas, California, where the family gathered each summer. She is preceded in death by her father, Philip Carpenter; her mother, Angela Carpenter and her brother, Christopher, who died when he was 18-years-old. She is survived by her adoring children, Justin Fraser (Helen Fraser), Gillian Smith, Carolyn Smith Casertano (Paul Casertano), Malcolm Smith and her grandchildren, Jack and Tatum Lucier, Lucius, Geneva and Calvin Casertano and Serena Fraser. Her Service will be held at Sunrise Chapel in Tucson, AZ on Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the American Cancer Society , 1636 N. Swan Road Ste. 151, Tucson, AZ 85712. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Dodge Chapel.