Daniel Dechert Carpenter Sr.
Hamden, CT- Daniel Dechert Carpenter, Sr., 91, formerly of Easthampton, MA and Pembroke, Bermuda, died in New Haven, CT on August 21, 2013. He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Jane Conyers Carpenter, and their son William Stratton Carpenter. Survivors include Daniel Dechert Carpenter, Jr., Hamden, CT, with whom he resided; Peter Chapin Carpenter, Pembroke, Bermuda; Deborah Carpenter Jerome (Lawrence), Barrington, RI; Jennifer Reed Carpenter Reid (Joseph), Brick, NJ; Kris Carpenter, Albuquerque, NM, and grandchildren, Clare, Jennie, Gates and Sam Jerome. Born and raised in Pottsville, PA, Dan was the son of James Stratton Carpenter and Clare Beck Dechert Carpenter. Survived by brothers James Stratton Carpenter IV, Salem, CT; Peter Chapin Carpenter, Bethlehem, PA; many cousins, nieces, and nephews; and legions of former students and friends. Dan was graduated from South Kent School, CT in 1941 and Dartmouth College in 1945. He served in the United States Air Force as a navigator during World War Two. He taught and coached for 30 years at Williston Northampton School, Easthampton, MA, retiring in 1985. Dan also had a life-long association with Keewaydin Camp, Temagami, Ontario, Canada. The Memorial Service to celebrate the life of Daniel Carpenter, Sr. will take place in the Phillips Stevens Chapel on the campus of Williston Northampton School, Easthampton, MA at 1:00 PM, on Sunday, October 20, 2013. Speakers will include representatives from the family, Williston and Keewaydin. Following the service, all are welcome to attend a reception where people will have the opportunity to socialize, reminisce and speak with Dan's family and others. Knowing how many lives Dan touched, the school requests that you please RSVP (with the total number attending) so that we can prepare appropriately. Please contact Liz Cheney echeney@williston.com, (413) 529-3074 by October 14, 2013. Arrangements in care of BEECHER & BENNETT, 2300 Whitney Ave, Hamden. Gifts in his honor may be made to Williston Northampton School, 19 Payson Avenue, Easthampton, MA 01027; The Roy Waters Scholarship Fund or The Carpenter Long Trip Fund at The Keewaydin Foundation, 950 West Shore Road, Salisbury, VT 05769; or The Bermuda Maritime Museum, PO Box MA 133, SANDYS MA BX, Bermuda.
Dan, So sorry to learn of your Dad’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this sad time. Warmly. Arlene and Bob Thorndike
My husband is in charge of keeping track of the obituaries. If I know a person that he doesn’t know…. So, I am lucky (not really lucky/saddened)to learn of the passing of your relative .Carpie.. Unless other people called him .Carpie. too; that nickname denotes me as a friend from Williston. Although I never had your relative as a teacher per se…he was one of my FAVORITES! I loved the way HE had a nickname for everyone ( I was ‘Southampton’), and it seemed as if he had a never-ending smile.We all loved how he could wiggle his ears too! I was saddened (life does go on though-maybe she was waiting for him on the other side though,his wife of 66 years,Jane-as I’m pretty sure that their son was with her too.) We grieve the loss of a truly WONDERFUL man; while in Heaven it’s a delightful reunion!
So sorry to hear of Dan’s passing. We shared many good times at Keewaydin and it was a honor to follow him as head of Algonquin. It was always fun to receive his Christmas cards which always mentioned something about the Algonquin dock. My best to your family. He will be missed.
To all the Carpenter Family, I was a student at Williston in the late ’50’s and early ’60’s, and though I never had .Carp. as a teacher, it was hard not to recognize the unusual humor and exuberance that made him stand out among the faculty. He was someone who seemed genuinely to care about the students both as a coach and teacher, and they responded by both admiring, caring about, and respecting him. Laughter and generosity of spirit were not all that common among the faculty in those days, but both Carp and Jane demonstrated those qualities in spades, and thus were among the most beloved figures on campus. I suspect they retained that status for the many other years that they graced the Williston faculty. Carp attended almost all of our class reunions, and I suspect many others; and he was always one of the people to get the biggest hugs, for he really made a difference and served as a role model for many young men who were trying to discover who they were and were to become. We were all grateful he was there to guide, entertain, and inspire us.