Paul L. Carpenter - Van Meter

Paul Carpenter passed away on January 26, 2014 at Edgewater Retirement Home in West Des Moines where he had been a resident for the past two years. Paul LeRoy Carpenter, the son of Fred and Edna (Rochat) Carpenter, was born on November 28, 1926 near Paris, Missouri. He attended grade school in Missouri before his family moved to a farm south of Van Meter in 1938. Paul graduated from Van Meter High School in 1943, and he attended one semester at ISU. He enlisted in the Army February 19, 1946, was a clarinetist in the 82nd Airborne Division Band, and was discharged February 27, 1947. He married Marjorie Marie Moore November 14, 1948 at the Van Meter Methodist Church. He had a long career in car sales and service starting with the Johnson Auto Company in Van Meter in January 1948. He worked for Reed Motors in Winterset, and retired in 1992 from Crescent Chevrolet in Des Moines Marie and Paul enjoyed traveling in the United States, visiting Europe, and cruising the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and Panama Canal. He was past secretary of the Van Meter school board; a Boy Scout leader taking his sons' troop in 1968 to Philmont Scout Ranch, NM; a member of the Van Meter United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 403, and a Mason. Paul was preceded in death by his wife Marie in 2009, his brother Robert Carpenter, and his son-in-law, Daniel McNace. Thankful for sharing his life are son, Steven (Jan) and granddaughter Jaclyn of Shawnee, KS; son, Stanley (Martha) of Ames and granddaughters, Jennifer of Urbandale and Molly of Rockville, MD; and daughter Terry McNace, and granddaughter Stacy (Mike) Peterson, one great-grandson, Christopher Peterson all of Van Meter, and grandson David (Lauren) of Fort Wayne, IN. Funeral Services will be 10:00 AM. Thursday, January 30, 2014 at the United Methodist Church in Van Meter. Burial with Honors provided by Van Meter American Legion Post 403 will be at Van Meter Cemetery. Friends may call after Noon Wednesday, January 29th at McCalley Funeral Home in Adel, where family will greet friends 5 to 7 PM., with prayer service at 7 PM. Memorial contributions can be directed to the Van Meter United Methodist Church or to the Van Meter American Legion Post #403. Online condolences may be left at this site. Service: 10:00 AM Thursday January 30, 2014 United Methodist Church Van Meter, Iowa Visitation: Friends may call after Noon Wednesday, January 29th. Family will greet friends from 5 to 7 PM. McCalley Funeral Home Adel, Iowa