Obituary of Edna M. Carpenter Booker

Edna M. Carpenter Booker, 93, longtime resident of the Iowa City area, died Saturday, November 8, 2014, at the Lantern Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Coralville. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Gay and Ciha Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held in Iowa City at the Parkview Evangelical Free Church on November 15 at 11 a.m. with Pastor Steve Rachke of the Parkview Church officiating. A luncheon will follow the service in the Parkview Atrium. Edna will be laid to rest at The Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, beside her husband, Colonel Brooks W. Booker, Jr. and their son, James Hayward Booker. Edna Meryle Carpenter was born November 23, 1920, in Bay City, Texas the daughter of Charlie C. and Blanche (Allen) Carpenter. She attended school in Newcastle, Oklahoma and later attended the University of Oklahoma. Edna moved with her family to Georgia when she was nineteen years old where she met her future husband Lt. Brooks W. Booker, Jr. They were married in Albany Georgia on June 1, 1942. Edna and Brooks had four children together: Brooks W. Booker III; Carolyn Sue; Sandra Lynn; and James Hayward who died at birth. Edna raised their three children while Brooks served in the US Air Force. They lived in Germany, Hawaii, and numerous states across America. In 1963, Edna and Brooks moved to Iowa City, where Brooks served as Professor of Aerospace Studies at University of Iowa. After retirement from the US Air Force in 1967, he was employed until 1972 as the Director of Conferences and Institutes at the University of Iowa. Edna was very involved in Goodwill Industries in Iowa City and served on its Auxiliary Board for many years. She also belonged to the National League of American Pen Women, Johnson County Republican Women, and the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as many other clubs and organizations over the years; and served as a Gray Lady Volunteer, providing support to hospitalized US military personnel. Edna attended the Parkview Church in Iowa City, and then later attended Iowa City Church Of Christ. Edna had many hobbies to include cake decorating, flower arranging, gardening and writing poetry and short stories. She was a prolific writer over a period of 50 years. She attended writing classes at the University of Iowa. In 2009, Edna received the Senior Poet Laureate Award for the State of Iowa for her poem "Touching the Sky". At the age of 93, she was still actively writing poems and short stories. One of her lifelong goals was to publish a book of her poetry. Her book, "What Art Thou O' Poetry" was published one month ago. Edna loved God, her family and her country. She was very patriotic and wrote many Letters to the Editor of many of the local newspapers about Flag Day, Veterans Day, and the independence of voting. She loved to laugh, tell stories about her childhood, especially her experiences growing up on a farm in Oklahoma, and watching FOX News. Edna was preceded in death by her husband Brooks w. Booker, Jr., her parents Charlie and Blanche Carpenter, and her brothers Critchfield, Jesse, Kenneth, Harry and Virgil Carpenter. Edna is survived by her sister Dorothy Williamson of Athens, Georgia and her brother Clayton Carpenter of Guyton, Georgia. She is also survived by her son Brooks Booker III and daughter-in-law Christianne Booker; daughter Carolyn Sue Cannon and son-in-law Thomas J. Cannon of North Liberty, Iowa; and daughter Sandra Lynn Gay and son-in-law J. Brian Gay of Coralville, IA. Edna is survived by grandchildren Brooks W. Booker IV and his spouse Tierney; Eron Z. Cannon and his spouse Monika; Jacob E. Cannon and his spouse Katrina; Jordan A. Cannon and his spouse Lauren; John D. Sales, Jr. and his spouse Christine; Amy L. Sales, and Joshua P. Sales and his spouse Cristi; great-grandchildren: Alice and Theodore Booker; Clark, Claire and Elise Cannon; Mekayla and Klara Cannon; and Ruby Sales. Edna is also survived by step-grandchildren Aaron M. Gay, his spouse Emily and their children Ingrid, Noelle and Theodore; and B. Scott Gay, his spouse Barb and their children Quintin and Claudia. Memorial donations may be made to Goodwill Industries of SE Iowa and Iowa City Hospice. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the website www.gayandciha.com. Edna's family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to Dr. Margo Schilling, all staff at Lantern Park Nursing & Rehab Center, and Iowa City Hospice for their support and caring during Edna's final days.