JAMES ANDREW CARPENTER, JR.

September 10, 1937 to April 15, 2023

Edmond, Oklahoma

James' Obituary

James (Jim) Andrew Carpenter, Jr, 85, of Edmond, OK met his Savior face to face on April 15, 2023. Jim was born on September 10, 1937, in New Orleans, LA, the third of four children, to James Andrew Carpenter, Sr. and Carrie Myrle Cooper Carpenter. He lived in New Orleans until he was in elementary school, when they moved to Dallas, TX. He graduated from W.H. Adamson High School in Dallas, TX in 1955.

Jim attended Abilene Christian College and graduated in 1959 with a B.S. in Agriculture. While at ACC, he met the love of his life in The Bean. He always said that when he saw Sue Ann across the cafeteria, he knew he was going to marry her. They married a year and a half later, on August 30, 1958, and enjoyed 64 years of marriage. 

After ACC, they moved to College Station, TX where Jim got his Masters from Texas A&M in Animal Science. If you know Jim, you know he was an Aggie to the core. He even went back and completed his Ph.D. in Animal Genetics. 

Jim worked at a research center at Texas Tech University for a few years but was a teacher for most of his career. He taught classes at Tarleton State College and Colorado State University. He took a break from teaching when he bought a Western Auto store and moved his family to Burkburnett, TX. He ran the Western Auto store for 11 years, when he sold it and returned to teaching. He taught junior high Math at Barwise Junior High and Wichita Falls Christian School. Jim loved his students and was always thrilled when they would come back to visit or he would see them around town.

All of these things tell you the details of Jim’s life, but they don’t really tell you who he was. Jim was a devoted follower of Christ and loved Jesus more than anything else. That is all he would really want you to know about him. This love dictated everything about Jim’s life. Because of Jesus, he was a servant, a loving husband and father, a student of God’s Word, a prayer warrior, and an encourager. It was Jim’s joy to teach Sunday School classes and Bible studies where his love for Jesus and passion for scripture were infectious. Jim loved to sing, especially in worship to God. 

Second to Jesus, Jim loved his family. Sue Ann was the love of his life, and he was so proud of his kids, their spouses, and grandchildren. Jim is survived by his wife, Sue Ann; a son Andy Carpenter and wife Kelly of Edmond, OK; a daughter Kristine Newberg and husband, Eric of Edmond, OK; grandchildren, Carlee Harris and husband  Connor of Edmond, OK; Jacob Carpenter of Fayetteville, AR; Tanna Giles and husband Blake of Charlotte, NC; Bradyn Newberg of Edmond, OK; sister, Mildred George and husband Ross of College Station, TX; and brother George Carpenter and wife Barbara of Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; and many nieces and nephews.

Jim is preceded in death by a grandson, Blayne Andrew Carpenter; and a sister, Joyce Warren and husband Arch.

A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. at New Hope Church of Christ in Edmond, OK. Jim will be buried on Thursday at Plainview Memorial Park Cemetery in Plainview, TX on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 11:00 A.M.

The family suggests memorials be made to World Wide Spanish Literature Ministry, P.O. Box 4650, Wichita Falls, TX 76308-0650.