Hello Friends!

This is your old friend Ev, sitting in for Rosina.

It is with deep regret that I bring you the news of the death of Rosina's beloved husband John Sullivan. After a lingering illness, John succumbed on September 3rd. His lovely funeral service on September 10th. included a tape of Ave Maria sung by Karen, and the Twenty Third Psalm rendered by Richard.

There have been many Carpenter happenings, and there are more to come, the release date for the new Carpenters album Voice Of The Heart has been set for October 17th. You will be delighted with the beautiful picture of Karen on the front cover, as well as the one of Richard at his piano on the back cover; and you will be thrilled once again at the sound of Karen's magnificent voice. The single Make Believe It's Your First Time should be in your music stores right now.

A lovely tribute to Karen was presented by Richard and the Long Beach State Choir on June 25th. In the historic Sanctuary of the First Congregational Church of Long Beach. Singer Dennis Heath and dancer Bobby Burgess were among the concert performers, as well as lyricist John Bettis who offered two songs.

Mom, Dad and Richard spent several days in Baltimore, Maryland visiting their relatives before they flew to Tennessee for the dedication of the Strolee Plant in Church Hill. Strolee, manufacturers of baby strollers, high chairs. play pens, car seats and swings, named their new Church Hill complex "The Karen Carpenter Plant". Dedication ceremonies took place September 21st. A plaque installed on the building near the front entrance reads; "Strolee lovingly dedicates this building to Karen Carpenter, our fellow shareholder and Strolee enthusiast, 'She sang for the hearts of us all. Too soon and too young our Karen is still, but her echo will linger forever June 1983". Richard was honored to unveil the plaque, and Werner Wolfen, Carpenters business manager gave a heart-warming talk on beloved Karen. The family left Tennessee amid a heavy downpour of rain.

On October 12th. a Star to honor the Carpenters will be unveiled on the famous Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk. It will be located between the names of Jon Hall and Glenn Ford, between Orange Drive and Mann's Chinese Theater. The unveiling ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m.

The Carpenter family has also been invited to appear on both Good Morning America and 20/20. The Good Morning America segment will be taped in November, but no air date has been scheduled for either program, so watch your TV Guides.

As I write this letter, Richard is making preparations for overseas trips. He will leave this week-end for London, England where he is scheduled to appear on talk shows, and give a number of interviews. He will return home in time for the Hollywood Star ceremonies on the 12th. then he will be off again to Australia and Japan for more talk shows and interviews.

We are happy to announce that Rosina celebrated her tenth year with the Carpenters on September 19th. It has been a pleasure to have her on our staff. Congratulations Rosina!

Lustrous gold lettering has now been placed on the Carpenter crypt in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cypress. The simple but fitting epitaph chosen by the family reads: "Karen 1950 - 1983, A star on earth - A star in heaven".

The Carpenter family, and all members of the staff take this opportunity to wish each of you very Happy Holidays. May your Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah and New Year be extremely pleasurable, and may you enjoy them in good health. Ev.

Last changed: Mon Sep 12 21:42:33 EDT 2005