Copied with permission from the Shawnee News-Star:
November 29, 2005:

Shawnee resident John Baxter Carpenter, 89, died Friday, Nov. 25, at his residence.
He was born Sept. 9, 1916, in Prague to Sam and Lilly (Lacuement) Carpenter.

On Sept. 28, 1940, he married Ruby Poe in Chandler. She preceded him in death in 2001 after 61 years of marriage. Following their marriage, they lived in the Prague and Shawnee area before moving to his present home in Bethel in 1949.

John farmed and worked at his Uncle Fred Lacuement's grocery store, Men-donca Dairy, for 20 years. He was an independent horse shoer (farrier) until he opened Carpenter's Custom Slaughtering and Processing in 1975. He closed his shop in 2002 due to his health.

He served in the U.S. Navy. John served multiple terms on the Bethel School Board and was a member of the Church of God.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ruby; one daughter, Doris Freeman; five half-brothers, Mike, Dewey, Henry, Dutch and Charley; one half-sister, Gladis Blackwell; and five brothers, Jimmie, Ralph, Joseph, Robert and Willis.

Survivors include two daughters and one son-in-law, Rheta and Bob Smith of Tecumseh and Lynda Carpenter of Tucson, Ariz.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Doyle and Cleta Carpenter of Bethel and Johnny and Carol Carpenter of Bentonville, Ark.; one brother and sister-in-law, Juanita and Tony Ellison of Prague; two sisters-in-law, Myrtle Carapenter and Ruby Carpenter both of Prague; nine grandchildren and spouses, Tim and Daniel Scott, Tracy and Adam Rupert, Angela and Dennis Scarberry, Anna Carpenter, Robin Carpenter, Louie Freeman, Lonnie and Phyllis Freeman and Sgt. Dax A. and Jennifer Carpenter; seven great-grandchildlren, Josh, Ashley and Stephanie Freeman, Lacey and Baxter Scarberry, Rayanna Gaines and Rylie Rupert; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and firnds and family of Angelic Hospice.

Service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Walker Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Glen Pence officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Walker Funeral Service.