By Brandon Addeo | The Duquesne Duke
A longtime Duquesne employee who worked as a cashier in Towers dining hall died Nov. 25.
Mary Patricia “Pat” Carpenter, 90, was employed by Duquesne dining services for 48 years.
Hailing from Mt. Washington, Carpenter, also known by the Duquesne community as “Miss Pat,” retired in 2009.
The Rev. Sean Hogan said students loved Carpenter.
“Every time you walked up [to the dining hall],” Hogan said, “you could see all the students were pleased with her smiles and welcome.”
Michele Null, Carpenter’s granddaughter, said her grandmother would get up as early as 3:30 a.m. to prepare for work, and every morning would help set up the food in the cafeteria.
“She loved to go there every day,” Null said. “She met so many different people over the years.”
Null described Carpenter as a very loving, warm and generous woman.
“She just welcomed everybody into her arms,” Null said. “She would always greet everyone as well.”
Carpenter was a dedicated supporter of Duquesne athletics, and attended all of the basketball and football games that she could, according to Hogan.
Hogan said Carpenter enjoyed spending her days at Duquesne.
“She loved it,” Hogan said. “When I would visit her in the nursing home, she wanted to hear everything about Duquesne, she wanted to … discuss our football victories, our basketball program.”
During her time at Duquesne, Carpenter got to know many of the athletes and coaches in the athletics department, according to Null.
“She knew all the coaches,” Null said. “[Carpenter] ended up getting season tickets, going to the games … for over 40 years.”
John Rosato, director of operations and recruiting for the Duquesne football team, said in a Facebook post Nov. 26 that he is saddened by the death of “a wonderful person and friend.”
Carpenter was also a loyal Steelers fan, and attended games at Three Rivers Stadium and Heinz Field up until she was 85 years old. Carpenter also closely followed the Duquesne baseball team during its existence, according to Null.
Carpenter is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Mt. Washington.
Carpenter’s family asks that donations in her name be made to the Father Sean Hogan Scholarship Fund at Duquesne, something that Hogan said he is “very pleased” about.
