A memorial event will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, October 13 at Robert Frost Auditorium to celebrate the life of Dr. Sarah Carpenter, who passed away August 19 at the age of 66.
Dr. Sarah Carpenter was a volunteer doctor at the Sandy Segal Youth Health Center for more than 25 years and was an integral part of healthcare in our community. She passed away after a long battle with leukemia.
Sarah (Sally) was born in 1952. She graduated from Stanford in 1975 and went on to receive her medical degree from Yale in 1979. She completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at UCLA and a fellowship in adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital. Sarah worked for more than 20 years in the Teen Health Center at Kaiser in Panorama City. In 1981, she married Robert Newman. They raised two sons, Daniel and Greg, in Culver City.
Sarah was an extraordinarily compassionate person known to help others. Dr. Carpenter started volunteering at the Health Center in 1993. After she retired, she continued to provide services at the Center and was involved in fundraising efforts.
Dr. Carpenter’s many recognitions were a reflection of the community’s appreciation for her passion for the Health Center. For her ongoing dedication to our students she was presented with a “Continuing Service Award” by Culver City Council PTA, as well as the prestigious Halo Award, which celebrated “everyday angels” for her volunteer work as a doctor at the Sandy Segal Youth Health Center in Culver City. At the Culver City Education Foundation’s Tribute to the Stars event, Dr. Carpenter, as President of the Friends group, and the Venice Family Clinic were given the Belkin Superintendent’s Award for providing free health care to the youth of our community.
Diana Hauptman who has served as co-president dedicating many years to the center wrote, “We are blessed to have had Sarah in our lives. She was a paragon of generosity. She dedicated herself to our Culver City youth, volunteered hours at the Sandy Segal Youth Health Center as its doctor, served as president of the Friends in a selfless way. She was a remarkable leader, always listening and considering each person’s ideas before making recommendations. She balanced her demanding job as president while enjoying her many hobbies like photography, Spanish and poetry classes, ‘Walk With The Doc,’ etc. She made each person on the board feel important. She was a great liaison between the Friends, the Venice Family Clinic and the Health Center. Because she was on campus as the doctor, she knew so much about what was happening at the center. It is devastating to us all that we have lost such a special leader, an outstanding human being, a friend.”
The Health Center is located on the campus of Culver City Middle and High Schools and has served thousands of students for almost 30 years. It would not have been possible without the help of individuals like Dr. Carpenter.
Sally loved to travel and became an avid photographer after she retired. She was an enthusiastic participant in her women’s book club, photo club and Spanish group. She also met with her close friends for lunch most Thursdays and saw movies most Friday nights with her husband Bob. Sally cared deeply about her family and friends. She was a rock. She will be missed dearly by all of them.
She was predeceased by parents Fred and Betty Carpenter, and brother Arthur. Sarah is survived by husband, Bob, sons Daniel and Gregory (Christie), sister Carol (Huseyin), brother Nathinael (Lori), and sister-in-law Elena.
To honor her memory, the family requests donations to be made to Sandy Segal Youth Health Center.
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