Sharon Kaye Carpenter, 86 of Chanute, Kansas passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 surrounded by her children and granddaughter. Sharon Kaye was born the only child of Clarence and Beulah (Wells) Kepler on November 3, 1939 in Canton, Illinois. Sharon graduated from Avon High School in 1957. She then married high school sweetheart and love of her life, Charles “Chuck” Carpenter on July 20. 1958 in Avon, Illinois. They were married for 61 years before his passing on April 4, 2020.
Sharon was a homemaker and worked at Tompkins State Bank in Avon before her children were born. The family left Avon in 1969 but returned every year to visit family and friends. Sharon was very active in planning Avon high school reunions for the class of ’57.
Sharon and family moved to Chanute, Kansas in 1977 where she worked as a bookkeeper at several businesses including the First United Methodist Church where she had been a member since 1953. She was an active member of many social and church groups. Sharon loved to travel, she took countless bus trips all over the United States with her husband and friends. Sharon may have grown up as an only child but had countless friends she loved and considered brothers and sisters.
She is preceded in death by her dear husband Charles “Chuck” Carpenter, and parents Clarence and Beulah Kepler and son-in-law, Larry Roberts. She was also preceded in death by her parents-in-law, Everett and Alice Carpenter.
Her memory will carry on with her children, Michael (Debbie) Carpenter, Michelle (Dave) Roberts, and Mark Carpenter, grandchildren, Andy (Liza) Roberts, Caitlin (Zach) Kremer, David Carpenter, and Matthew Carpenter, and great grandchildren, Olivia Kremer, Everett Kremer, Bowen Kremer, and George Roberts.
Sharon was laid to rest next to her husband in a private ceremony at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Avon Illinois and the family will hold a memorial service at the Federated Church in Avon on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 10:30am.
