Elaine Danner Steed

Elaine Danner Steed, 88, passed away at 8:25 a.m. on Thursday, March 3, 2011 at the Hoosier Village Health Care Center in Indianapolis, IN. Born in Knightstown, IN on November 28, 1922, her family moved to Indianapolis in 1930. She graduated from Arsenal Technical High School in 1940 and attended Purdue University, Indiana University and Indiana University Medical Center with a nursing major and was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. She was awarded her nursing degree from Indiana University School of Nursing in 2010.

Elaine married Dr. Thomas Delmont Carpenter in 1944, and moved to Columbus, IN where they were parents of Thomas Monte Carpenter (Debbie) of Indianapolis, IN; William Danner Carpenter of Chicago, IL; Dr. Joseph Danner Carpenter (Judy) of Golden, CO; and James Richard Carpenter (Nancy) of Zionsville, IN. Dr. Monte Carpenter died in 1953 at age 32 while in the U.S. Navy serving with the Marines in Barstow, CA. Elaine married William M. Steed in 1959 and he preceded her in death in 2008. She is survived by 8 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and one brother, John Danner (Doris) of Indianapolis, IN. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Danner, her 3 brothers Goodwin, Ray, Louis and her sister, Ardis Graves, preceded her in death. Her father, uncle, brothers and many cousins operated Danner Bros. 5 & 10 stores for over 75 years.

Elaine was a volunteer in Columbus, IN with the U.S.O. during W. W. II, American Red Cross Blood Bank Program, past deacon at First United Presbyterian Church, member of First Methodist Church, member of ART Columbus, Brown County Art Guild, Watercolor Society of Indiana, Indiana Heritage Art Association and Indianapolis Museum of Art-Columbus, IN. Elaine was also a member of the Magazine Club for 50 years, Kappa Kappa Kappa Sorority, volunteer for the Columbus Regional Hospital Foundation of Columbus, Indiana, and a charter member of Harrison Lake Country Club. Her interests included water color painting for which she won many local and state fair awards, photography, health related fields, nature, and history. She collected beautiful antiques all her life and especially enjoyed antiquing trips with her favorite nieces.

Calling and memorial service will be at Four Seasons Retirement Center Chapel, 1901 Taylor Rd., Columbus, Indiana on Monday, March 7, 2011 with Rev. Phyllis Hawkins officiating. The calling will be from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M. and the memorial service will be held at 3:00 P.M. A private entombment will be held at Garland Brook Mausoleum.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Myers-Reed Chapel in Columbus, IN.

Memorial contributions in Elaine’s name may be made to the Columbus Regional Hospital Foundation Robert Borczon Memorial Scholarship Fund (www.crh.org), or the Foundation for Youth, Columbus, IN (www.foundationforyouth.com), or your favorite charity.

Condolences and memories of a wonderful woman, wife, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother (Nanny) and great grandmother may be made at www.myers-reed.com.