Richard Redmond Carpenter

Richard Redmond Carpenter, 93, passed from this life on May 4, 2021 in Waco, TX, with family by his side. He was born in Pelham, NY in 1927, the son of Victor and Elsie Cramer Carpenter. His brother, Donald, preceded him in death.

Richard, known as Dick, married Geraldine Edna Crawford in 1951 in Mt. Vernon, NY; she survives him. They moved to Edison, NJ where they had children Dina (Mrs. Dana Meek), Lisa (Mrs. Jimmy Cunningham) and Scott (Mrs. Jing Carpenter), who also survive him. They were members of First Presbyterian Church and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, both in Metuchen, NJ. With Geri, Dick enjoyed spending time with family and friends at the Metuchen Golf & Country Club, on New Jersey’s Long Beach Island and entertaining at home.

A long-time employee with Hess Oil, in 1978, Dick’s career as a designer for crude oil piping systems took the family to Plano, TX where he lived until recently; he retired from Leonard Engineering in 1987. In Plano, as a member of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Dick volunteered for many years with the church’s food pantry. With Geri, he was also a long-time usher. Later, they belonged to Christ Church, Plano; at his passing, Dick was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Waco.

Dick proudly served in the United States Navy in both WWII and the Korean War as a Seaman First Class.

He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed playing golf and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys. He loved a martini and a good cigar. Dick embraced the Texas culture, and will be remembered for his sublime briskets and legendary margaritas. He also appreciated music, from Frank Sinatra to Ahmad Jamal to George Jones.

In addition to his loving wife, children and their spouses, Dick is survived by six grandchildren and dear friends and family in Texas, the east coast and elsewhere. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s in Waco.