Mary Faquin Carpenter's Obituary
Mary Clay Faquin Carpenter, 93 of Huntersville, NC passed away on Sept 26, 2017 at Autumn Care Cornelius, surrounded by her son William, family, and close friends. She was born on April 16, 1924 in Richmond, VA, and was the daughter of the late William J. O’Connor and Mary Chastain O’Connor. Mary Clay was a one of a kind personality, an amazing life force, golfer, dancer, duplicate bridge player, story-teller, mover and shaker - a pure product of America’s “Greatest Generation.”
Long before women's liberation and title 9, Mary Clay was a powerful, independent woman in both the workplace and world of sports: she served as executive secretary at the Charlotte Board of Realtors for over 10 years, was an avid golfer, and won many golf titles including the NC Senior Women’s golf championship.
Mary Clay married Louis K. “Red” Faquin II in 1945, her loving husband of 45 years until his death in 1989. Together they had three children – Dr. William C. Faquin of Holbrook, MA, and the late Mary Louise Bradford of Huntersville, NC, and Louis Keith Faquin III of Charlotte, NC. In the 1990’s, Mary Clay was reunited with her high school sweetheart, Marcus G. Carpenter, with whom she was married until his death due to leukemia.
She is survived by her son, William, son-in-law Ross M. Bradford of Huntersville, NC, son-in-law Judson Evans of Holbrook, MA, daughters-in-law Dina Edwards Faquin and Patricia Griffin Faquin, grandchildren Ross M. Bradford II of Washington DC, Mary C. Bradford Nichols of Charlotte, NC, Rosemary Faquin Colwell of Charlotte, NC, and Wilson Faquin of Moncure, NC, and 4 great grandchildren: Triston, Michael, Willow, and Woody.
A memorial service will be held at the James Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC on Thursday, Sept 28, 2017 at 10 AM (visitation at 9 AM), followed by a graveside service at Evergreen Cemetery in Charlotte, NC. Donations can be made in Mary Clay’s memory to the Humane Society of the United States.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family.
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