Gerald “Jerry” Carpenter November 15, 1932 - July 15, 2011  Jerry attended Drake University, as well as working fulltime at Firestone and serving in the Iowa National Guard. He earned his degree and went on to be a much sought after chemical engineer for many large corporations in Indiana, Tennessee, New Jersey and Texas. Jerry married the love of his life, Marilyn Anderson, in November of 1954. Together they raised four children, Don (Leigh) of Prole, Karen (Mike) Phillips of Prole, Craig of Des Moines and Douglas (David) of Indianapolis. Later, in his final home in Indianola, Jerry was a member of the Indianola Noon Lions Club, the morning coffee club at the Corner Sundry, and a founding member of Iowa Atheists and Free Thinkers. Jerry was a dedicated member of the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers who put a lot of himself into the organization. He combed the newspapers every day for interesting and useful articles and would bring a stack of clippings when he came to meetings, which led to many interesting discussions. He helped out in other ways, including chauffeuring a highway cleanup crew, taking photographs, and making reservations for events. Jerry could also be counted on for a smile - even when things weren’t going so well. His enthusiasm, dependability and hard work are greatly appreciated so the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers honored Jerry with their first Distinguished Service award in the spring of 2011. As per his wishes, cremation has taken place and a private graveside service will be held in the Resthaven Cemetery in Des Moines at a later date. Besides his children, Jerry is survived by his mother, Pauline; brother, Kenneth; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many other friends and relatives. Jerry was truly a gentleman and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. |
|
|
DonateHelp support us!
 |
What's Happening >
Jerry Carpenter Obituaryposted Jul 22, 2011 6:36 PM by John Fruetel |