Edward ‘Tim’ Carpenter of Lawrence dies at 91

Edward Nick “Tim” Carpenter, a longtime Lawrence resident, who fought in World War II, was successful in business and became a strong supporter of Lawrence Woodmere Academy died on Jan. 12. He was 91.

Carpenter grew up in Manhattan and graduated from The Buckley School in Manhattan and the Brooks School in North Andover, Mass. After a year of studying in England at Oxford University, he went to Yale University and graduated in 1942.

After Yale, Carpenter married Katherine “Kitty” Eaton and served as a U.S. Marine in World War II in the Pacific Theatre. Following the war,

Carpenter settled in the Five Towns in 1945 and became an investment banker for Jessup and Lamont, a New York-based brokerage firm.

Lawrence resident Ron Goldman remembers Carpenter fondly and said he was a real American who was loyal to his community and country. “He shared his life with anyone and didn’t hesitate to help out in anyway,” Goldman said.

Carpenter’s involvement in his community extended to being an honorary trustee of Lawrence Country Day School and was a strong proponent of its merger with Woodmere Academy that created Lawrence Woodmere Academy in Woodmere.

“Tim was always filled with passion about our school and would talk to me about strategies we should to help get the message out about what a great school Lawrence Woodmere Academy is,” said LWA Headmaster Alan Bernstein, who added that Carpenter “always had a twinkle in his eye,” when it was noted that the school boasted students from more than 60 different zip codes.

After retiring from his life in business, Carpenter served as Nassau county sanitary commissioner, governor of the Lawrence Beach Club and treasurer of the Rockaway Hunt Club. He also became a writer and lyricist. In addition, he took philosophy, writing, psychology and foreign affairs classes at the New School in Manhattan.

Roy Meserole of The Meserole role Funeral Home in Inwood remembered Carpenter warmly. “He was a good affable guy, everybody liked Tim,” Meserole said.

A son, George Whitney Carpenter, took up his father’s mantle, and also became a marine. The younger Carpenter was killed in Vietnam in 1967. Another son, Jake Burton Carpenter is the founder of Burton Snowboards.

Carpenter’s first wife Kitty died in 1971 after a battle with lymphoma. He remarried two years later to Margaret Owen Van Rensselaer.

Margaret, who shared the Distinguished Award for lifetime Service from LWA in 2008 with her husband, said that Carpenter got the nickname “Tim” growing up. “When he (Carpenter) was born, his brother Sonny was a big fella so they called him ‘Tiny Tim’,” she said. “However, later in life, he towered over his

brother.”

He is survived by Margaret, children Katherine Carpenter McCallum, Carolyn Carpenter Wright, Jake Burton Carpenter, Richard Owen Carpenter, Stephen Owen Carpenter, Posie Owen Carpenter and Margaret Carpenter Jones, 20 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Services were held on Jan. 15 at Trinity St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hewlett where Carpenter was an active parishioner. He was interred at Trinity Church Yard.

The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to the George W. Carpenter Scholarship Fund at the Brooks School, Andover, MA 01845, or to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, 327 Beach 19th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691.