Donald L. Carpenter, age 85, of Inverness, FL died on February 20, 2016 while under the care of Hospice of Citrus and the Nature Coast. Donald was born on February 25, 1930 in Fairmont, West Virginia to the late Thomas and Florence (Vanata) Carpenter. From 1948 to 1952 he proudly served his country as a member of the United States Navy and served aboard the USS Salem. After his service in the military, Donald was employed as a Fork Lift Driver for Sears and Roebuck for 27 years. In 1951, he married Ethel May Thistle, with whom he shared 60 years of marriage until her passing on December 16, 2011. Donald was a member of the Parkinson’s Association and the USS Salem Association. In his free time he enjoyed woodworking and playing cards.
He is survived by his two sister in-laws, Doris Parsons and Ella Nardone of Inverness, FL; his nephews, Bob, Ed, & Terry Carpenter, Dan Tonkery, David Riehn, Bob & Brian Parsons, John Thistle, Bob, David, and John Nardone; his nieces, Patricia Carpenter, Joyce Webb, Kathy Tenney, Nancy Riehn, and Kendra McQueen; several great-nieces and nephews.
In addition to his loving wife, he was preceded in death by three brothers: Paul, George and Robert, and one sister, Doris Tonkery; his nephew, David Tonkery; Brother in-law, Thomas Tonkery; two sister in-laws, Betty Carpenter and Virginia Carpenter.
There will be a Celebration of Life service on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. from the Chas E. Davis Funeral Home of Inverness with Chaplain Charles Johnson of Hospice of Citrus and The Nature Coast officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL. The family will receive friends in visitation from 12:00 noon until the hour of service. Arrangements under the direction of the Chas E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness, FL.
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