Background
Carpenter was born in Franklin, North Carolina and graduated from Franklin High School in 1942.
Carpenter was born in Franklin, North Carolina and graduated from Franklin High School in 1942.
He briefly attended Western Carolina University before undergoing flight training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and flying with the United States Navy during World World War II (from 1943 to 1945). After the war, he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Consumer Banking and served as a bank executive in Franklin until his retirement.
He represented the state"s fiftieth Senate district, including constituents in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania counties. A retired bank executive from Franklin, North Carolina, Carpenter was elected to the state senate in 1988. He served eight terms, finally losing his seat in 2004 by fewer than 300 votes.
Carpenter married twice.
Carpenter then married T. Helen Edwards Bryant on January 18, 1986. He is the father-in-law of former North Carolina Representative Marge Carpenter (R).
After Carpenter"s death in 2011, county commissioners unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday, March 18, 2014, to memorialize his life, with the county’s community building located on the Georgia Road to be known as the Carpenter Community Facilities Building. Carpenter’s wife attended the meeting and was herself recognized for her service to the community.
Carpenter worked in politics for much of his life, working on the local level as a county commissioner, and on a national level during eight terms as a North Carolina State Senator.
He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. Locally, he served as President of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and as Honorary Chairman for the Relay for Life. He worked on behalf of community colleges, serving 20 years on the Southwestern Community College Board of Trustees as well as President of the North Carolina Association of Community Colleges.
He was a recipient of the Order of Long Leaf Pine Award, awarded by the governor of North Carolina.
Carpenter spent many hours volunteering his time to baseball. He started Franklin’s Little League Baseball, coached Little League Baseball for 30 years, and was the first coach to recruit African Americans to play Little League Baseball in Asheville.
Carpenter was involved in many local organizations including the Optimist Club, Rotary Club, Junior Chamber of Commerce and Knights of Columbus. He was on the Smokey Mountain Mental Health Board and served on the Governor's North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Carpenter was instrumental in establishing the county’s Highway 441 Welcome Center and the Veteran’s Clinic in Franklin, and in getting a natural gas line to western North Carolina.
Member American Legislation Exchange Council. Commissioner Macon County, North Carolina, 1978-1982. Pilot United States Navy, 1943-1945.
Member American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Rotary.
Married Helen Carpenter.