Walter N. Carpenter

Published 12:59 am Thursday, September 8, 2016

Oct. 2, 1919 – Aug. 25, 2016

Walter N. Carpenter, LTC US Army Ret. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

He was a soldier in the Army infantry during WWII, and served in Mississippi, Georgia, Oregon, North Africa and Italy. He was a court and general reporter, 1947 through 1951, an Army officer again from 1951 through 1966 with the CIA, 1951 through 1954, Army Language School, (Russian) Washington D.C., Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany, C.O. Joint Refugee Operations Center (JROC-B); and finally as Deputy Assistant, Chief of Staff, Comptroller, Military District of Washington D.C.,

He retired from the Army Aug. 30, 1966, as a Lieutenant Colonel, employed by Library of Congress, IRS, and Bureau of ATF in Washington, DC., and retired again in 1984.

He was preceded in death by Helen M. (Peggy) Carpenter, his wife of 58 years, in 1999. Walter and Peggy were serious sea shell collectors from 1949 to about 1994 and amassed one of the most comprehensive private collections in the country. Together they helped to establish the National Capitol Seashell Club in 1961.

He moved to Bend, OR in 2001 with his daughter and son-in-law, Kathryn M. and Kevin L. Bengston.

He is survived by his daughter, Kathryn (Kevin) Bengston; grandchildren; Scott, and Kelly (husband Carey Heimbuch); and great-granddaughter, Madalynne Johnston.

He was loved and will be greatly missed. His final resting place will be at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, Peggy.