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A lady known to many as “Dear” will now be dearly missed by the community where she lived and worked for decades.
Edna P. Carpenter, 73, of Tunica passed away on Thursday, Sept. 27 at Methodist South Hospital in Memphis. Services will be held at Fredonia Missionary Baptist Church at 1250 Peabody Street at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 with burial in Fredonia’s Cemetery in Tunica. She was a longtime educator and coach in the local school district.
Carpenter, a native of Tunica County, first endeared herself to student athletes on the basketball court at Bowdre Elementary School in the early 1950’s. She later took over duties as elementary girls’ basketball coach at Rosa Fort School.
In 1966, Carpenter stepped on to the court as the varsity girls’ basketball coach. It was in that role that she would earn noteriety throughout the district and the state.
Under Carpenter’s leadership, the Rosa Fort varsity girls earned four NWAC championships, two NCAC chamipionships, four consecutive district III AA titles. Her teams advanced to the MHSAA tournament for four consecutive seasons in 1980-1983.
In 1984, Carpenter was asked to Coach the North Mississippi All Star Basketball Team, the first black woman to earn that honor. At the end of her 18 year coaching career, Carpenter listed 324 wins and 126 losses.
Her contribution to the sport led to the dedication of the Edna P. Carpenter Gymnasium at Tunica Middle School on Nov. 20, 2004.
At that ceremony, friends, family, athletes and school administrators praised Carpenter for all her accomplishements.
“She took us out of the cotton field and into love. We love you for doing so,” Rosa Fort History Teacher Robert Hall said.
Coach Charles Crowder, who worked with Carpenter for many years, said that there was always a excitement surrounding Carpenter’s teams. He told the large crowd that people from “all around the world” came to see her athletes and that she instilled in those players a sense of respect for themselves and others.
Karen Bond, who played for Carpenter, shared that her coach never let her give up the game.
Even when Carpenter gave up coaching the game, she remained active in the community. According to Recreation Director Billy Willis, Carpenter was an indispensable resource.
“Since 1994, Mrs. Carpenter has been one of the most loyal and dedicated employees of TCRC. She was the Pool Manager for the local swimming pool for many years and in 1998 we transferred her to RSVP Coordinator at the G.W.Henderson, Sr. Recreation Center. Through the years, her wisdom and dedication to the program has made a tremendous impact on the senior population,” Willis said.
Willis said Carpenter also touched his life.
“As director, she has supported me personally over the years and encouraged me to stay strong and determined. She will be greatly missed,” Willis said.
Carpenter was also be misseed at Fredonia Baptist Church, where she was a member. She served as a Sunday School teacher and was the minister of music.
She is survived by three daughters, Chris Carpenter, Rhonda Hall and Kimberly Powell, all of Memphis; two sons, James Carpenter-Taylor of St. Paul, Minn and Richard Rucker of Memphis; two sisters, Shirley Alexander of New Orleans, La. and Walls, Miss. and Annie Lee Horton of Wichita, Kansas; three daughters-in-law, 18 grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren.
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