Penny “GG” (Schroeder) Carter passed away Jan. 11, 2021, surrounded by her somewhat dysfunctional family.Penny was born Nov. 9, 1946, in Michigan City, Ind. She was the fourth of nine children.
In 1966, while working as a secretary at the Indiana State Prison, she met her future husband. (Don’t worry; he was a guard, not a prisoner.) After only three dates they eloped and were married on Dec. 31. Penny continued to live at home for six weeks before finally telling her parents. Contrary to what Penny’s mother believed, their first child was not born until more than a year later.
Penny was an amazing seamstress, quilter and crafter. She cooked the best dinners and baked from scratch. Her ice cream rolls and cream puffs will be very missed.
After staying home to raise her four children for a few years, she was able to escape to a job as a medical transcriber at St. Anthony Hospital. She went on to work at Sullair, from where she retired after 20 years.
Penny is survived by her husband of 54 years, Ken; her four children, Amy (Robyn) Stephens of Katy, Tex., Kelly (Jason) Mathias of La Porte, Ind., Amanda Carter of Michigan City and Andrew (Lauren) Carter of La Porte; grandchildren, Brittany (Dave) Henning (whom she raised as a fifth child), Riley Kate and Carter Stephens, Caroline (Kevin) Church, Christine (Nick) Rupcich, Noah Mathias, Alyssa (Danny) Foltz, Allan Mathias, and Stella Carter; great-grandchildren, Dominic, Liliana, Liam and Grace Henning, Molly, Emily and Macy Chuch, Charlie Foltz, and Emma Mathias; siblings, Terry (Judy) Schroeder, Gary (Lynn) Schroeder, Pam (Jerry) Bendit, Peggy (Michael) O’Neal, Cindy (Tom) Schroeder-Bell, Sherry (Michael) Foster and Barry (Frank) Taylor; an incredible amount of nieces and nephews; and her best friend of 55 years, Diane Quartuch.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Helen Schroeder, and one brother, Larry Schroeder.
A celebration of life is being planned for July 10 at Krueger Memorial Park, Michigan City.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as sent to email address ggcarter2021@yahoo.com.