Anne Washkau Carpenter

Anne Washkau Carpenter was received in the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father on Wednesday, February 14th. A big hearted, kind and dynamic lady full of spirit, love, devotion to her husband, family and friends, she will always be remembered on Valentine's Day and every day by the countless people that loved her.



Anne was born on the 9th of October in 1936 to Joseph Westfall Washkau and Marta Elsie Schumann Washkau. She received her remarkable gifts for creativity, art and design from her family lineage. Her maternal grandfather immigrated from Denmark and brought the family advertising business to New York where he also founded the Danish-American Club in Manhattan. Anne\'s parents met in Greenwich Village -- Marta as an illustrator for the fashion world, drawing chic pattern designs for Buttericks; her father was an accountant on Wall Street, but also came from a family of artists. Her fraternal Aunt was an accomplished seamstress who made ensembles for Mrs. Thomas Edison, the Scherings, and many others prominent families in New York and New Jersey. Anne's older sister also had her own sewing business.



With this back ground it was natural that Anne would be very creative and accomplished at a number of pursuits. She studied art at Montclair State University and then later design at the New York School of Interior Design. As a young mother, Anne was an artist in painting and drawing, and she co-founded the Livingston New Jersey Art Guild. In all these endeavors, she was a natural leader, inspired others and made many life-time friends.



Being dedicated to her children and family, Anne later used her artistic talents to decorate their historical homes, including perhaps her most distinctive and striking restoration project, the dazzling preservation of an 18th century colonial in Essex Fells, New Jersey, which became the center of the town's social life and was featured in many magazines, newspapers and television ads. The house being called \"Old Hearth\" was the oldest home in Essex Fells and parts dated part to before the Revolutionary War. One of George Washington's Generals constructed the original wing of the house. Anne's love for home extended to gardens, wildlife and nature. She delighted in taking care of 'Old Hearth's' formal Williamsburg style rose gardens which had 32 varieties of roses. Later in life, Anne took pride in the beautiful home she and her husband created in The Landings on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Georgia. Backing up to a beautiful pond on the golf course, and with all of Anne's personal artistic touches in the home, this residence which she lived in for 27 years was a happy and welcoming place for neighbors and friends and was also on many house tours. Summer homes Anne created also was a beach house in Bay Head New Jersey and a retreat near the Blue Mountains of Tennessee.



Anne was especially devoted to her husband, Don, who she always said was the love of her life. The stylish and attractive pair were always together, sharing a love for golf, travel, entertaining and zest for life. Above all, they had a total devotion to each other which extended more than 40 years.



Her children and grandchildren will always remember her drawing with all of them, creating posters and invitations for countless PTA events and illustrating her children\'s and grandchildren\'s story books. Anne's creative talents extended into cooking; she elegantly and graciously catered all her large parties herself both intimate and the larger 'town sweeps'.



Pre- Martha Stewart, she founded 'The Lunch Bunch' Catering Company with a good friend and this successful business flourished and had as its clients the entire area's groups of Women's Clubs. An offshoot of this culinary career was an acclaimed cook book that was very much in demand in her community and beyond. She will also be remembered for all of her extraordinary parties and how welcome and special she made everyone feel. Anne made everything she created seem effortless yet everything she did was always at the highest level of perfection and with beautiful attention to detail.



The charismatic Anne left an indelible impression upon everyone met. Her character was democratic, extending simple unexpected kindnesses to many including gifting her local store workers with hugs and delicious homemade cakes.



Anne always believed in giving back to others and was kind to everyone. She was active in the Junior League in New Jersey and many other women's groups. An avid golfer, Anne was a member of the Essex Fells Country Club, the Canoe Brook Country Club and the Bay Head Yacht club. Anne was both a traditional person but also very contemporary and avant garde. She was a leader and inspiration to others, but she always put her family as a priority. She lived her life with a gift of grace, good humor and a radiant personality and never judged people for superficial things. She ruled her home with a firm but devoted hand and even after her children were grown, was involved, extraordinarily generous and caring in all phases of their lives. Anne will be with us also always, especially in the hearts of her devoted family.



Anne is survived by her loving husband, Donald Bruce Carpenter, her sister, Vivian Shields Phipps, her brother, Joseph Westfall Washkau, her daughter and her husband, Deborah and Bill Colton and Anne's devoted sons, Stephen and Mark Magliaro, her stepson and his wife, Rick and Susan Carpenter and their daughter Caroline, Deborah Vincent plus her loving granddaughters and their husbands, Susan and Andy Weisel and Elizabeth and Will Labadie. Her step-grandchildren include Kimberly Schacht and her husband, Harry, and Elizabeth and Christopher Vincent.



The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 o'clock Monday, February 19, 2018, at Gamble Funeral Service ' 410 Stephenson Avenue.