Susan Ann Compton Carpenter

Susan Ann Compton Carpenter had a peaceful and easy life — full of love, joy and science. She was born in Metropolis, Illinois, on December 23, 1941, to Wava Jennette Lambert and Robert Wilson Compton. Her house in those early years did not have indoor plumbing. Her parents moved early in her life to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, seeking work which proved a turning point for the family. Oak Ridge was a town built to support research and engineering in physics. With that exposure, her family’s expectations dramatically changed.

She went to college and studied physics. During college, she met the man who would become her husband, Joe Carpenter. He was also studying hard sciences. After marriage, she primarily worked to support her husband’s career. Joe went on to get his PhD in Metallurgical Engineering and rise to become a manager in the scientific field. They were married for 60 years.

She lived most of her life in Oak Ridge, TN, and Washington, D.C.

She raised two children, Keri and Tim, in Tennessee. Both followed the success of their parents and pursued advanced degrees in computer science and law, respectively.

In 1998, they moved to the Gangplank Marina in Washington, D.C. Joe worked nearby as a scientist until 2010. She started and was the first commodore of the Gangplank Slipholders Association (GPSA) yacht club and has been instrumental in the club both from a social and political advocacy standpoint for over 20 years.

Throughout their entire lives, Susan and Joe also got huge amounts of enjoyment from traveling. The 1970s saw them take yearly car trips across the U.S. with their two young children. In the ’80s, they took a seminal trip to India to visit the family of a colleague of Joe’s from graduate school, Naginder Naidu. The ’90s saw more adventurous travel into Ukraine and multiple trips to Europe as their children studied abroad. They also traveled to China, The Philippines, Japan, Egypt, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and South and Central America.

In 2010, when a marina friend asked if she wanted to go on safari, she answered “Heck yes!” and ventured forth into South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Many more trips abounded until about 2020, when Susan’s health woes started to keep them mostly stateside. She moved to Tiburon in 2024 to be cared for by her daughter and son-in-law. Her earthly journeys came to a peaceful conclusion on September 17, 2025. She was surrounded with love, family and friends until the end.

This was a good life. Filled with huge amounts of love, relative safety, privilege and comfort for which she was grateful. A great love as the tentpole of her life as well as the love of her children, grandchildren and innumerable friends in her marina. I don’t think anyone could ask for anything more.

She is survived by her daughter, Keri Carpenter, and son, Tim Carpenter. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Langton Carpenter, Nia Carpenter, Ryan Carpenter and Jack White.