Carolyn Murdoch (Stone) Lepper of Hollywood, MD passed away peacefully at the St. Mary's Nursing Center in Leonardtown, MD on September 29, 2011 surrounded by family at the age of 89. Carolyn was born in Exeter, New Hampshire to the late Ernest Clifton and Marion Hewitt Stone on June 28, 1922.

Carolyn graduated from the Howard Seminary for Girls and the Mary A. Burnham School in Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and the University of New Hampshire for her Bachelor's studies in music and language and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston for her Masters in piano study. She was a member of the faculty at the Boston music school in her early career.

Carolyn married Dr. Richard Watson Lepper of Lyndonville, VT in 1947 and they moved to Southern Maryland in the early 50s as a result of Dr. Lepper's transfer to the Washington Navy Yard, and the Patuxent Naval Air Station.

Mrs. Lepper was a teacher of music and English in both the St. Mary's County public and parochial school systems. Carolyn was in her 30th year of teaching music in St. Michael's School in Ridge when she retired due to a sudden stroke in December 1999. She lived at home with her family for 1 ½ years before moving into St. Mary's Nursing Center in Leonardtown. Mrs. Lepper was active in many civic organizations throughout her nearly 50 years of Southern Maryland residency. She performed publicly on many occasions as a vocalist, pianist and harpist, and also provided beautiful organ music for many church services, weddings and funerals throughout the county. Many were inspired over the years to pursue their personal passion and subsequent careers in music, and others felt great comfort and acceptance as part of her extended family.

She is survived by four children and their families as follows: Christopher Richard Lepper (Mary Klohr); Amanda Chase (Lepper) Ramey (Gary E. Ramey); Duncan Murdoch Lepper (Catherine Linda (Bean) Lepper); Sarah Whittier (Lepper) Brenzo (Terrence James Brenzo); Grandchildren: Suzannah Colvett (Lepper) Foster (Jason Foster); Sonya Marie (Lepper) Westervelt (Paul Westervelt); Carolyn Victoria Lepper; Megan Fedelia Ramey; Adam Duncan Ramey; Lydia Caitlyn Lepper; Richard Wyatt Lepper; Matthew Terrence Brenzo and Lauren Whittier Brenzo; and great-grandchildren Ian, Evelynn and Jesse Foster.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest Clifton Stone and Marion Hewitt Stone and her husband, Richard.

Family will receive friends for Carolyn's Life Celebration on Monday, October 3, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Mary's City, MD at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to St. Michael's School, P.O. Box 259, Ridge, MD 20680 or St. Mary's Nursing Center, 21585 Peabody Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.