BOCA RATON — Patricia “Patti” Payne Carpenter, an ever-present pillar of the Boca Raton community, died Aug. 8, surrounded by her family and friends. She was 74.
Mrs. Carpenter will be missed by those who worked alongside her on a variety of charitable missions, recalling her passionate drive, leadership, genuineness, compassion, kindness, generosity of self, signature style, hospitality and keen sense of humor.
Born in New York City on Nov. 1, 1947, and raised in the Riverdale neighborhood, Patricia attended Marymount Schools, The Gerard School for Girls and The Sacred Heart of Mary Academy.
She relocated to Boca Raton in 1970 and became a devout supporter of many community charitable organizations for five decades, early on serving on the board of Boca Helping Hands and hosting the first major fundraiser for Kids in New Directions.
Mrs. Carpenter served on the regional advisory board for Deliver the Dream, a respite and retreat program serving families facing serious illness or crisis. She also served as chair for the Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament and twice as chair of the Lynn University Ball. She supported the Junior League of Boca Raton, which recognized her as Woman Volunteer of the Year in 2001.
Mrs. Carpenter served as president of the board of the Center for Family Services, South County, was chair of the 2005 Boca Raton Regional Hospital Ball, and was involved in many events hosted by the Boca Raton Historical Society.
Mrs. Carpenter graciously opened her home to host countless events for charities, including The Boca Raton Symphonia, The American Cancer Society, The Migrant Association of South Florida, Boca Helping Hands and the hospice building fund.
She took the floor as a dancer for Boca’s Ballroom Battle supporting the George Snow Scholarship Fund and stepped up as a Habitat for Humanity “Woman Builder.”
Most notable, Mrs. Carpenter was a long and trusted supporter of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, serving as chair for its annual GO Pink Luncheon for 19 consecutive years. Her voice and well-recognized face helped to grow the community’s signature event into one of the most highly anticipated and well-attended women’s health and breast cancer awareness gatherings in South Florida.
Mrs. Carpenter’s tireless efforts helped Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation raise over $13 million.
Throughout the years, Mrs. Carpenter’s commitment and dedication to raising the public’s awareness of breast cancer prevention enabled The Schmidt Family Center for Breast Care and the Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute to reach tens of thousands of women annually, saving countless lives.
Mrs. Carpenter also established the William K. Carpenter Nursing Education Fund at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. It supports continuing education, funding for nursing certifications and tuition reimbursements.
A loving daughter, mother and grandmother, Mrs. Carpenter is survived by her son, Todd Payne, daughter-in-law, Allison Payne, and granddaughter, Devyn Payne. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, William K. Carpenter, and mother, Eleanor C. Payne.
A funeral Mass was held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Boca Raton on Aug. 20.
Contributions in Mrs. Carpenter’s honor may be made to GO PINK, Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation, 800 Meadows Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486; http://donate.brrh.com/Patti-Carpenter.
— Obituary submitted by the family
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