Agnes Carpenter
- Karen And Richard Carpenter's Mother

Agnes Carpenter, mother of Karen and Richard Carpenter, and wife of Harold Carpenter, was seen as one of those obsessive, controlling mothers. She was also hard-working, frugal and sometimes brutally honest.

Born Agnes Reuwer Tatum on March 15, 1915 in Baltimore MD, she was very athletic and enjoyed playing all kinds of sports, but her favorite was basketball.

There was also a domestic side to Agnes. She loved to sew, and quickly became the family's seamstress at a very young age. But she didn't just sew clothes...

Agnes also switched the drapes that hung in the family living room, which must have been quite a challenge, given the fact that they were made of a heavy fabric.

Growing up with three sisters, Agnes lived a typical childhood. As a teenager, she began dating Harold Carpenter in 1932. The two were married during the spring of 1935.

Their house was immaculate - everything has its place, everything matched, and it was so clean that you could probably eat off the floors. Even family members noticed that if you mopped the garage floor, the mop didn't get dirty!

The couple's niece, Joanie, lived with them for quite a long time, and perhaps this was the reason that Harold and Agnes waited for ten years to have children of their own.

Agnes Carpenter Gives Birth To The Carpenters

On October 15, 1946, Agnes Carpenter welcomed her first child - a son named Richard Lynn, after Harold Carpenter's only brother. Nearly three-and-a-half years later, Agnes and Harold gave birth to a little girl, who they named Karen Anne Carpenter.

To say that "a star is born" would be an understatement. Ultimately, we got two stars - otherwise known as The Carpenters.

Perhaps because he was a little bit older, Richard was the first to show an interest in music. Agnes and her husband recognized Richard's musical gifts and moved the family from coast to cost in order that their son might pursue "the Hollywood dream".

Throughout their lives, Agnes and Harold worked long hours and often took on extra jobs so that they could afford to provide their children with as many music lessons and opportunities as possible.

Was Agnes Carpenter One Of Those Controlling Mothers?

Over the years, Agnes Carpenter has been the subject of a lot of controversy with regards to her relationship with her children. Outsiders saw her as one of those domineering, controlling mothers who favored her son, Richard.

It's documented in the Karen Carpenter biography, Little Girl Blue that Agnes resented the fact that Karen was chosen to be "the voice of The Carpenters".

She saw Richard as the serious musician and didn't like the idea that he was not front-and-center in the group. She was further mortified when Karen was offered a recording contract before Richard.

In the end, she was proud of her children, and completely devastated about her daughter's death in 1983. No parent should have to bury their own child.

Agnes Carpenter passed away on November 10, 1996 at the age of 81.

Her son, Richard Carpenter, carries on the family legacy.

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