Margaret Johnson Carpenter

Sumter, SC ….. Margaret “Margy” Johnson Carpenter, 77, of Sumter, South Carolina, passed away on August 9, 2026. Born in Hobbs, New Mexico, on December 31, 1948, she was the daughter of the late John Elliott and Virginia Kline Johnson. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of fifty-two years, Dr. C. Leslie “Les” Carpenter.

Margy was raised in Hobbs, New Mexico, where in junior high school she met the “tall boy” and love of her life, Les Carpenter. After graduating from Hobbs High School in 1966, she continued her education at Texas Christian University, home of her beloved Horned Frogs. While at TCU, she was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics Education in 1970. She and Les were united in marriage in June of that same year.

In the decade following their marriage, the couple welcomed and began to raise their two children, Christopher Lance and Sarah Elizabeth. Margy devoted herself to her family, skillfully managing their home across several states—Texas, Oregon, Iowa, and Ohio—as she supported Les’s career in college administration. Upon settling in Ohio, she began her impactful career in public education with the Marion City Schools, teaching middle school home economics.

In 1993, Margy and Les moved to Sumter, S.C., and Margy continued teaching Home Economics at Sumter High School and Alice Drive Middle School. Her dedication to professional excellence was evidenced by her Master of Education from Francis Marion University and her National Board Certification in Family and Consumer Sciences. Although she retired in 2011, her legacy lives on through the countless students she equipped with essential life skills and practical knowledge. There are many people out there today who know how to sew on a button, bake cookies, and balance a checkbook because of Margy Carpenter.

Margy’s contributions extended deep into the fabric of her community. A faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church of Sumter, she shared her musical gifts with the handbell choir and served with distinction as an Elder and Clerk of Session. Margy cherished her church community and found deep joy in church fellowship and its outreach initiatives.

Her commitment to service was further reflected in her involvement with P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) and her time on the Sumter County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In her leisure time, Margy looked forward to her monthly bridge games with friends, while also enjoying puzzles, books, and décor. A gracious hostess, she found her greatest joy in the kitchen preparing meals with and for her loved ones.

She is survived by her children, Lance (Mary) Carpenter and Sally Carpenter; three grandchildren, Maggie, Zach, and Evey Carpenter; her sisters, Mary Draper and Marcia (Gary) Schubert; sisters-in-law, Belinda (Jan) Koenig and Rebecca (George) Heindel; her sister-like cousin, Caroline (John) Wake; and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family, as well as an amazing group of friends. Known for her warmth and hospitality, Margy never met a stranger and leaves behind a community that was made better by her presence. She will be profoundly missed.

A celebration of Margy Carpenter’s incredible life will be held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, August 20, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church in Sumter, S.C.  The family will receive friends in the Fellowship Hall immediately after the service.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the P.E.O. Foundation, P.E.O. Executive Office, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA  50312.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

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