Douglas Clifford Carpenter, Jr. was born in Garfield, Utah, on August 5, 1930 to Douglas Clifford Carpenter and Ada Leona Broadwater. He died January 21, 2020 at the age of 89. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Donna Carpenter Wright.
He leaves his wife, Deon Toone of 65 years, 7 children; Alden (Terry) Carpenter, Clyde (Patti) Carpenter, David (Julie) Carpenter, Mark (Codi) Carpenter, Reed (Trish) Carpenter, Carol (Brent) Wildock, Ken (Deanna) Carpenter. Doug has 22 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren.
The family stayed in Garfield until he was 5 years old and then moved to Salt Lake City. His mother was told by the first grade teacher that “…he is too small and not ready to be in school. Bring him back next year.” He attended Sumner Grade School and Roosevelt Jr. High School both in Salt Lake but dropped out of South High during the first year.
He returned to Church activity and enrolled at West High School in September of 1948 attending an early morning Book of Mormon seminary class taught by Elder Marion D. Hanks. He graduated in the top 10 of his class at West High School and was one of the speakers at the graduation program. He went on to the University of Utah for two quarters.
Doug then served a two-year mission to the Southern States which included Florida, Alabama, North & South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi.
After the mission he became a full-time student at the University of Utah and worked 40 hours a week. Married Deon Toone the 18th of February in 1954. Their first son was born July 1955. Doug was then drafted into the Army and after boot camp at Fort Carson, Colorado and Fort Ord, California was assigned to Ft. Riley Kansas where he replaced two officers in evacuating ill patients that couldn’t be treated at Ft. Riley to larger hospitals. It was in this setting that he learned about Hospital Administration. Their second son, Clyde, was born at Ft. Riley, Kansas.
He graduated from the University of Utah with a BS degree in Business Management. By this time a third son, David, was born in Salt Lake City. Dad applied for a Masters program at the University of Washington in St. Louis, Missouri and was accepted but had to ask for an extension for a year to earn enough money to attend. He worked full-time at the Salt Lake County Hospital, part-time job weeknights selling Encyclopedia Britannica and Saturdays as Collection Manager at Park City Miners Hospital in Park City, Utah. The Masters program required they do a residency training which he did at Tucson Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.
When his residency was finished he came back to the Salt Lake County Hospital as Administrative Assistant. The fourth son, Mark, was born two months after returning to Salt Lake. Fifteen months later Reed, the fifth son was born.
Dad went with the University of Utah as Assistant Administrator. He was appointed Assistant Coordinator for Intermountain Regional Medical Program (IRMP) at the University of Utah Medical School.
About this time after much fasting and prayer that they could have more children, they had Carol, their only daughter. Then Ken, the sixth son, came three years later.
Dad was appointed Assistant Commissioner of Health Services Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Regional Administrator of hospitals located in Logan, Tremonton, Richfield, Fillmore, Panguitch and Mt. Pleasant. When the church divested the hospitals and established Intermountain Health Care (IHC) he was a Special Projects Administrator at the Corporate Office. He resigned from IHC joining in a partnership with his brother-in-law, Gerald, to build and operate Racquetball Fitness Centers in Pocatello and Soda Springs, Idaho.
In 1981 he accepted a full-time position as Director of Montana Wyoming Health Resources (MWHR) in Billings, Montana with Deaconess Hospital. Four years later he was asked to be the Administrator for Northern Rockies Cancer Center in Billings. He retired in 1996.
Doug and Deon served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Assistant Directors in Minsk, Belarus also serving as Country Directors for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. After the mission he was called to be a Sealer in the Billings Montana Temple and acted in that position for 19 years.
He has held many positions in the church including: Bishop, High Councilor (3 times), Stake Young Men’s President, Sunday School teacher, Branch President, Priest’s Quorum Adviser, Boy Scout District Commissioner, primary teacher, Mission President Counselor for 5 ½ years, Bishop’s Counselor, Ward Mission Leader, Stake Missionary, and Chairman of Advisory Council to Utah Boys Ranch. In Billings he started a Stake Messiah Sing-in and did so for two years but later with the help of the Cancer Center and Larry Nitz, a great tenor, started in Billings the Messiah Sing-in to raise funds for a home that could house the Cancer Center patients and their families at no charge. The Sing-in has been going for over 24 years and has raised over half a million dollars to date.
Dad has published 7 articles in national journals and presented ten papers to regional and state hospital association meetings.
Dad loved his family – children, grandchildren, great grandchildren.
He also loved fishing, softball, racquetball, and skiing until at age 75 when he had a fall skiing and had to give up the sport and racquetball as well.
When he was asked recently “What would you like to be remembered for?” His answer was “Paul in the New Testament as his model because he was a great missionary. He loved the sinner and forgave them!”
Dad loved talking with people and he could visit with anyone anywhere.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday January 27th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1260 Otter Road. Burial will follow the service at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. A luncheon will follow the burial back at the church. Please visit below to offer the family a condolence or share a memory of Doug.
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
10:00 a.m.
Monday January 27, 2020
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1260 Otter Road
Helena, Montana 59602
Burial
Following the Funeral Service
Monday January 27, 2020
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Heroes Road
Fort Harrison, Montana 59636
Luncheon
Following the Graveside Service
Monday January 27, 2020
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1260 Otter Road
Helena, Montana 59602
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
10:00 a.m.
Monday January 27, 2020
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1260 Otter Road
Helena, Montana 59602
Burial
Following the Funeral Service
Monday January 27, 2020
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Heroes Road
Fort Harrison, Montana 59636
Luncheon
Following the Graveside Service
Monday January 27, 2020
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1260 Otter Road
Helena, Montana 59602
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Becky & Tom Stockton says
Deon & to the whole Carpenter family,
My heart goes out to the whole family during this hard time. Doug will be so missed! He was such a kind & gentle man who really cared for others & the future of our country. May his attributes of caring for others be passed onto his offspring.
Darien Scott says
My thoughts and prayers are with you. It has been a tough time for all of you. My he rest in peace.
Donna Hart says
I will miss Doug’s kindness at church. He truly was a spiritual man. I am deeply sorry for your loss. I pray that Heavenly Father will bring you all comfort in these hard times.
Myrna Johnson says
I always enjoyed his visits to Salt Lake with Deon. He was a man of great wisdom and talent. He could talk to anyone and did. I’m so thankful he is not in pain anymore. My prayers have been with him and his wife this past year always. Love you both.
Carolyn Wright Brierley says
Sending condolences and hugs to Doug’s family. Our thoughts are with you all.
My Uncle Doug and Aunt Deon were always so good to my Mom, Donna Wright (Doug’s sister). Whenever they were in town, they always visited her. In our younger years, they did their best to help our family. As a child, I was always in awe that Uncle Doug seemed to be so smart and that he had a great sense of humor.
Linda Black says
Uncle Doug always made me feel welcome at his home. I was affectionately called “Linda Lou” well into my teenage years…only Uncle Doug could get away with that.
Growing up as a kid I always looked forward to visits and get togethers with my Carpenter cousins. The Carpenter’s yard was a kids magic kingdom…I purposely lost myself in rows of raspberries that loomed above my head, eating more raspberries than what I brought back in the provided baskets. We swung high in the swing set and played for hours running through the forest of Aspen and evergreen that grew.
Uncle Doug was an easy conversationalist always interested in how I was doing and what I was up to. Supportive and genuinely caring Doug was generous with his time and talents. You will be remembered always. Love Linda Black (a niece)
Rob Plumb says
I remember being in the Carpenter home in the Salt Lake area a few times. He and Deon always treated us, the Plumbs, like family. My sister Patti married Clyde one of their older sons. Doug always impressed me as someone with great compassion and great intelligence, always had a kind word for everyone. I wish Deon and their children the very best as they continue to move forward in life.