Elise Anne Carpenter-Tordella beloved mother, sister, and friend, passed away on November 22, 2025 after a brief but severe illness. She passed away in the place she lived & loved most in the world – Charleston, South Carolina. She was 63 years young.

Her journey into the Lord’s arms was peaceful, but sudden and profoundly heartbreaking for all who loved her. She leaves behind a remarkable legacy. To know her was a gift. And the ache of her absence reflects just how big her life was.

Elise was born to Eleanore Marie Bajek and Paul Joseph Carpenter in Montgomery County, PA. She grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts with her siblings, Peter Carpenter, Celeste Terasconi (Carpenter), and Janine Carpenter, all of whom are surviving and showed up for her beautifully in her final days. Elise was an extrovert and connector. When you were friends with her, you were friends for life. Thus, she is survived by many friends tracing back to her early childhood in Framingham, MA and her time at Boston College.

A creative and visionary professional, Elise built a long and impressive career in the Medical Device space defined by leadership, innovation, and a tireless work ethic. Although she could have retired, she chose to keep working because she loved what she did, and she was truly exceptional at it. Her most recent role was at Solventum, where she served as a Senior Vice President of Advanced Wound Care. She created a lasting impact on all that she interacted with at Solventum, as well as her previous roles at Procept, Angiodynamics, PDI, Fresenius, NxStage, and Medtronic (formerly Covidien, Tyco). Her daughters want her work family to know that she loved them so dearly.

Outside of work, Elise loved caring for her body and mind. She walked many miles a day, often across Folly Beach collecting her prized shark teeth. She was a lifelong Hot Yoga practitioner, most recently with the community she found at Corepower Yoga. Most of all, she loved checking in via calls and texts with the army of people around her, sending new music finds, the holiday versions of the Google logo, and other silly, joyful things. Her friends, many and extraordinary, showed up with breathtaking devotion during her final weeks.

Above all, Elise’s greatest joy was being a mother. She adored her daughters, Juliana Elise Tordella and Claudia Elena Tordella, with a fierce and overflowing love. She talked about her girls with boundless pride – everyone who knew her knew how deeply she cherished them. Her love for them is her legacy.

Her passing leaves behind grief, confusion, and heartbreak — but also profound gratitude. Gratitude for who she was, for what she gave, and for the love she poured into the world. Her daughters want you to know that in the very beginning stages of her illness, when she could not talk but was more present, she wrote the word “Thankful” on a whiteboard when we asked her how she was feeling. Gratitude even in the hard times. Elise was truly extraordinary. She had a bright spirit, endless curiosity, and bulldog-like determination. She lived by the words she wrote in a handwritten poem, tucked lovingly inside her estate plan: “Take the time to look and to see – LIFE.” These words capture the essence of how she moved through the world – awake, grateful, and deeply authentic. Her family takes comfort in knowing that’s exactly what Elise would want us to do now, as hard as it is without her.

A celebration of her life will be held in the Spring of 2026 in Charleston, SC. Just like she would have wanted. In the meantime, she will be remembered in every beach, sunrise, sunset, shark tooth, hydrangea, glass of a bold red wine, beautiful Spring day, in the good times, and in the hard times.

Please reach out to Juliana Tordella for additional details regarding her celebration of life, all are welcome.