This morning Guam gathered to honor the life and legacy of the late honorable senator Carmen A. Kasperbauerat a state memorial service at the Guam Congress Building.

Prayers and fond reflections filled the guam congress building today as the island paid tribute to a woman remembered not just for the offices she held, but for the compassion and conviction that guided her life.

The former senator, nurse, and public servant ws known for her commitment to community and thoughtful leadership. Legislative secretary senator Sabrina Salas Matanane presented Resolution No. 133, posthumously recognizing Kasperbauer for her public service, commemorating her accomplishments, and expressing condolences to her family on behalf of the people of Guam.

Born Carmen Artero in August 1935, her early life was shaped by courage and resilience, living through the invasion and occupation of Guam during World War II.

At great personal risk, her family sheltered U.S. Navy radioman George Tweed — believing that protecting him could help the island’s liberation. 

Senator Salas Matanane said, “These formative experiences deeply shaped Senator Kasperbauer’s lifelong commitment to compassion, justice, and community. She devoted her life to giving back in countless meaningful ways.”

Alongside her husband, Dr. Larry Kasperbauer, they raised their family, instilling enduring values of faith, family, education, and community. Elected as a republican representative, Kasperbauer served two consecutive terms in the 15th and 16th Guam Legislatures from 1979 to 1983. She authored legislation supporting children, families, housing, and cultural preservation — including the Arts in Public Buildings and Facilities Program, keeping Chamoru culture visible in public spaces.

As a nurse by profession, she also brought medical expertise into her legislative work and championed healthcare-related initiatives. And most notably, through Public Law 15-49, she established Guam’s Presidential Candidate Straw Poll — recognizing that while Guam residents cannot vote in presidential elections, national decisions profoundly affect the island.

Judge Alberto Lamorena III stated, “So when you see on your election ballot, the particular section that asks you to choose between presidential candidates, remember Carmen Kasperbauer, because that straw vote is there because of her."

His Honor delivered the eulogy, reflecting on their friendship, commenting, “When I think of Carmen, I don’t think of her time at the Legislature or the titles she held. I think of her faith, her kindness, how deeply she cared about this island and its people.

“To know Carmen was to know someone who listened intently, spoke thoughtfully, and acted with great sense of purpose and love for this island.”

Carmen Kasperbauer’s legacy will live on in the families she strengthened, the culture she helped preserve, and the island she served with unwavering dedication.