By Basant El-Faramawy
Sister June Carpenter, one of the last remaining members of the Shaker religious movement, died Tuesday at the age of 88 in Maine. She had been dealing with health issues and limited mobility, according to an announcement from the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester.
Final Members of a Historic Community
Carpenter was one of two longtime members at Sabbathday Lake, the only active Shaker community left in the United States. The other is Brother Arnold Hadd. Two newer members, Sister April Baxter and novice Mac Imes, have joined in recent years.
Preserving Shaker History
A trained librarian with a master’s degree from Simmons College, Carpenter organized and cataloged the village’s extensive archives, making them accessible to researchers. The community’s curator, David Richards, once remarked, “If the meek are to inherit the earth then she will get the whole thing.”
From Boston to Sabbathday Lake
Born in Boston, Carpenter first visited Sabbathday Lake in 1988 for the dedication of its library and volunteered to help organize its catalog. She became a full member in 1989.
Shaker Legacy
The Shakers, a celibate Christian offshoot of the Quakers founded by Mother Ann Lee in the late 1700s, once numbered thousands across multiple states. Their influence endures in simple furniture, architecture, and the melody “Simple Gifts.”
A Life of Faith and Kindness
Beyond her archival work, Carpenter tended the village gardens, visited Shakers in nursing homes, and cared for birds and cats. The announcement remembered her for her steadfast faith, kindness toward all living things, and dedication to the Shaker way of life.
