Duane Carpenter

Wilson "Duane" Carpenter, 88, returned to his Father in Heaven peacefully on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Evanston, Wyoming. Duane, our beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend was born on May 18, 1930 in Robertson, Wyoming to Joseph and Selma (Polson) Carpenter. He was the second of five children. Duane was one of five students who graduated from Mountain View High School in 1948. Duane met his sweetheart, Joyce Marie Peart, at a dance in Evanston, Wyoming. They were married on November 18, 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple. Duane and Joyce were blessed with two daughters, Barbara Ilene (deceased) and Cynthia Lee.

Duane worked as a Surveyor for the Wyoming Department of Transportation until December 1983. Duane, Joyce and their daughter Cindy bought and moved out to their ranch in 1968 where Duane ran the ranch until 2012. His five grandchildren loved to visit the ranch and he would take them on the tractors to help with haying and feeding the cattle.

Duane enjoyed hard work, and it showed in his hobbies as well. He restored classic cars including two Edsels--a 1959 convertible Corsair and a 1959 Ranger, one 1957 Turnpike Cruiser, a 1956 Ford pick up truck, a 1964 Mercury Maurader, and even a 1938 Fordson tractor, complete with iron wheels. He loved to attend car shows and parades where he could showcase his works of art. He often recruited his granddaughters to ride in the cars with him in the parades. Duane won hundreds of awards for his cars and was a proud member of the Edsel Owners Club. Duane loved to ride snowmobiles with his friends, Ran Phillips and Robert Gilmore. He also enjoyed spending time with his family, especially during their annual Carpenter Family Reunion, where he was the only one allowed to make the traditional homemade rootbeer. A faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Duane accepted and held many callings where he taught and instructed the Deacons with his good friend Sterk Aanerud, served in the Bishopric with his good friends Burton South and Rees "Tubb" Nichols, served on the High Council, and was a branch president for the Rocky Mountain Care Center in Evanston.

Duane was an amazing example and bright light to so many lives and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Special thanks to Best Home Health and Hospice for their sweet staff and loving care they provided for Duane and his family.

He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce; his daughter, Cindy (Jim) Jackson; Five grandchildren, Rikki (Matt) Colton, Leslie (Matt) Howe, Melanie (Matt) Millward, Rory (Cami) Jackson and Caitlyn (Michael) Frakes; Six great-grandchildren, Parker, Marcus, Tucker, Toby, Carly and Carson; his sister, Anna Lou Thompson; his brother, Derrill Carpenter; and many nieces, nephews and friends. He is preceded by his parents, Joseph and Selma, his brothers, Donald and Gary, and his daugher, Barbara.