Leslie E. Carpenter Jr, 1932-2016
Rational Nation USA
Purveyor of Truth
On Saturday, November 5th at 5:36 PM , I lost my father and best friend. He was 84 years young and as he lay dying he continued to talk about the future as though he might live another 5 or 10 years. Of course he knew he was going to leave this world but true to his word he continued to talk about what he would do tomorrow. That was always my dad's outlook on life, and death.
While he understood we would grieve his passing he asked us all to be happy for him as well. He said many times, Whether I live or die I can't lose, for if I live I'm surrounded by a loving family and my many friends, but if I die I will be with the love of my life. He missed my mother terribly and while not religious in the conventional sense he held on to a deep spirituality and knew he would be reunited with his love.
His positive upbeat attitude when facing death the last couple of weeks touched all around him. His hospital doctor, Dr. Lui and he developed a special relationship and the entire nursing staff and nurses aid staff treated him more like a friend than a patient. My dad had that effect on all that met him, and, it didn't take too long before it happened.
My father was an exceptional man and his experiences in life are far too numerous to mention and likely I'd miss a few for sure. But here's a sample... a pilot at 16, a supervisor at 19, a professional photographer, a deputy fire chief of a volunteer fire department, served on the board of a private golf course, started and ran BOSS (Boost our Southwick Schools) with my mother ~ an organization to support and raise money for the public school's extra curricular activities, owned and operated Barb's Sport Center with my mother, was a manager and general manager with a national company that produced paper and corrugated products, consultant and vice president, a thespian who played the part of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, a writer and a teacher by example.
I could go on and on but will close by saying my father taught me much, and he, alongside my mother brought me and my three siblings up to be independent, hard working, honest, forthright, trustworthy, and to simply be the best we could be. He always said, never forget where you came from son and always walk around in someone's shoes awhile before you criticize them. I'll continue to try dad, and, whenever I find myself facing difficulties to stop and ask, WHAT WOULD DAD DO.
Thank you dad, I love you. Rest in peace, say hi to mom, and give her my love.
Purveyor of Truth
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On Saturday, November 5th at 5:36 PM , I lost my father and best friend. He was 84 years young and as he lay dying he continued to talk about the future as though he might live another 5 or 10 years. Of course he knew he was going to leave this world but true to his word he continued to talk about what he would do tomorrow. That was always my dad's outlook on life, and death.
While he understood we would grieve his passing he asked us all to be happy for him as well. He said many times, Whether I live or die I can't lose, for if I live I'm surrounded by a loving family and my many friends, but if I die I will be with the love of my life. He missed my mother terribly and while not religious in the conventional sense he held on to a deep spirituality and knew he would be reunited with his love.
His positive upbeat attitude when facing death the last couple of weeks touched all around him. His hospital doctor, Dr. Lui and he developed a special relationship and the entire nursing staff and nurses aid staff treated him more like a friend than a patient. My dad had that effect on all that met him, and, it didn't take too long before it happened.
My father was an exceptional man and his experiences in life are far too numerous to mention and likely I'd miss a few for sure. But here's a sample... a pilot at 16, a supervisor at 19, a professional photographer, a deputy fire chief of a volunteer fire department, served on the board of a private golf course, started and ran BOSS (Boost our Southwick Schools) with my mother ~ an organization to support and raise money for the public school's extra curricular activities, owned and operated Barb's Sport Center with my mother, was a manager and general manager with a national company that produced paper and corrugated products, consultant and vice president, a thespian who played the part of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, a writer and a teacher by example.
I could go on and on but will close by saying my father taught me much, and he, alongside my mother brought me and my three siblings up to be independent, hard working, honest, forthright, trustworthy, and to simply be the best we could be. He always said, never forget where you came from son and always walk around in someone's shoes awhile before you criticize them. I'll continue to try dad, and, whenever I find myself facing difficulties to stop and ask, WHAT WOULD DAD DO.
Thank you dad, I love you. Rest in peace, say hi to mom, and give her my love.
I'm very sorry for your loss RN. May he rest in peace and may you be comforted by the thought that he will be with the love of his life.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jerry. My father is happy and at peace. As much as miss him already I am happy for him as he is where he truly wants to be.
DeleteDeeply sorry for your loss Les.
ReplyDeleteThank you Joe. And please don't be so long in visiting again. :-)
DeleteOh Les, I'm so sorry for your loss. Your moving, loving tribute brought me to tears. You and your family are blessed for having such an exceptional man as your patriarch. My deepest sympaty to you and your family in this sad time, but remember how he touched each one of you and instilled in you those precious values. Celebrate a life well-lived with warm and loving memories. I would love to have known him. And I think I do, in a way, through knowing you. Peace, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much Shaw. My father would have enjoyed being in your company. He often read your comments and commented to me that for a modern progressive you were of the same mind as his. He was a classical liberal in every sense of the word. I'm proud to say he was my mentor as well as my father.
DeleteI can only hope to live up to his standards of excellence and understanding.
Les, that is a beautiful tribute to your father. He sounds like a wonderful man. And he passed to you an amazing legacy, his integrity. Bless him and your mother and feel comforted with your memories of him. Hugs to you, my friend. And again, I'm so very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You look like your dad.
Pam
Thank you Pam, your thoughts touch me deeply. You are a special friend and I often think of you. Perhaps someday you will consider posting on RN USA again.
DeleteBTW, If you think my father looks like me know that me youngest son Patrick is a near spittin image of my father in the above picture!~
I too am sorry for your loss. As an atheist, though, you can't believe that your father will be able to say "hello" to anyone. Or are you reconsidering atheism? I do not mean to be a jackass, btw. It's just that, TO ME, atheism seems to be such a dismal view of life. That it ends and that's it. I hope my father makes it to 84 (which will be 10 years from now). He has been in good health his entire life until just recently (although the prognosis is good, I think). I won't say what the medical issue is, as I don't want to put out to much personal info.
ReplyDeleteThank you all so very much for your kind condolences. My father would have enjoyed knowing you all very much I'm sure.
ReplyDelete@ Dervish... I do not expect you to understand my beliefs and how I arrived at them. It maters not and I shall not comment further. Other than to say my father was aware of my full belief system, understood, and accepted it. He was, an exceptional man and an understanding human being.
ReplyDeleteYou go where you believe you will go, and you see who you believe you will see. It is not that complicated.
DeleteEvery religion is right?
DeleteThe more appropriate question IMO is, is any religion is right?
DeleteRight is in the eye of the beholder. All true believers think their religion is true, and you cannot convince them otherwise.
Delete:-)(-:
DeleteA touching memory and an impressive life. As a member of your father's 'Silent Generation' I feel a bit of
ReplyDeletecommonality; our generation is sometimes termed 'the lucky few' being born and spending our early years between the Great Depression and WWII. While that in part shaped the generation, there are all sorts of other factors, family, work, education, character, which shape all generations. Your father exemplified
those traits we would all wish for.
Thank you BB Idaho. My father would have enjoyed knowing you, I think you shared much in common, yet you both are individuals in the best sense of all that implies.
DeleteAnother Nazi Jew hater bites the dust. Can't wait for your turn.
ReplyDeleteI publish this, your last Luke/TOM/Steve, because it exposes you for what you really are. A hate filled shell of a human being. I have nothing but pity for you, and, I hope when you pass it gives you peace.
DeleteYou Wil NEVER appear here again.
What about Luke? He said (using his TOM account) that he had brain cancer and was dying. Maybe he should get to it? Jerk. Sent me the same cr@p, with an addition that said he said he thought I probably own a gun (I don't) and that I should use it to kill myself. TOM/Luke/Steve is truly a horrible person.
DeleteUnderstand Dervish that Luke/TOM/Steve are dead to this weblog. That includes references to or mention of the trio.
DeleteAny and All posts, including even so much as a mention of the 3 WILL be deleted post haste.
A great tribute to what appears to have been a great man. I am sorry for your loss, Les. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteHis legacy will remain long in memory. While foils such as we just saw will be dust and soon forgotten. As they should be.
Thank you so very much dmarks. Your few words express volumes, and, my father is smiling. In his last lengthy conversation with me he said, regardless of how the election turns out the country will be fine. He believed this because at 83 he went back to college. He saw great promise in our youth.
DeleteI too believe he is/was right.
I hope our friend Dervish has lots of such conversations with his father as well.
DeleteI'm very sorry for your loss, Les. Your father was an amazing man and the kind of person that we should all aspire to be. RIP
ReplyDeleteThank for your kind words LCR, they are so appreciated at this time.
DeleteLook for an email from me, it will be arriving in the next couple of days.
Dear Les,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your profound loss. Your tribute describes a good man, one who would make any family proud. Even years later, I still wish for one more moment with my own parents, now many years gone. All we have left of them are ... loving memories.
Thank you (O)CT(O)PUS, my father was teacher and a mentor to many. I was fortunate to have him as my father as well as having worked for him in both the family business and in the national company (now gone as well).
DeleteHe was a principled man and lead by example. He viewed his primary responsibility as a leader in business to be developing people to reach their full potential and then promoting them.
I shall miss him terribly but I will never forget the valuable lessons he taught me, both in life and business.