Goshen, In - Kit (Marsha Ann) Carpenter Waite, 85, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on Sept. 6, in Goshen, Indiana.

She was born on April 28, 1940, in Porterville, California to Fred Elwin and Lillian Elizabeth Metcalf Carpenter.

Kit married Charles Stephen Waite on Aug. 30, 1958 in Porterville.

Though at heart she was a red-headed California girl, marriage brought Kit to the beautiful Pacific Northwest where she spent most of her life. It is a place she embraced and loved as her own home.

Before starting a family, Kit worked at Sears department store in Portland, Oregon. Then in the early 1980s, she began work at World Concern, a community development ministry of CRISTA Ministries, in Seattle, Washington, where she headed up its call center. She then served as the coordinator of volunteers for Seattle's Union Gospel Mission, advocating the importance of volunteers to be involved in their local communities.

Throughout her life Kit cared deeply for friends and family.

She will be remembered best by some for her heart for service and a knack for connecting people with their own interests. Others will remember her for her gracious hospitality in their home along with rhubarb crisp and other baked goods in the workplace.

In retirement, she enjoyed quilting and card making.

Kit and Chuck moved from Lynnwood, Washington to Goshen in 2015 to be closer to family.

She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Chuck; along with son, Phil (Elizabeth Bontrager); Goshen; daughter, Kaye (William Miller); Olalla, Washington; grandsons, Jonathan and Lukas Bontrager-Waite; and her brother, Earl Carpenter, Yakima, Washington.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Mary Jean and Marjorie; and brother, Fred.

A celebration of life will be held at Metzler Meetinghouse, Greencroft Healthcare, Goshen, at 10:30 a.m., Thursday Sept. 11.

Elkhart Cremation Services has been entrusted with her care.