Carpenter, Ronald Albert

Ronald Albert (Ron) Carpenter, 96, of Radford, Va., departed this life Tuesday, August 17, 2010. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Leona Carpenter, of Rose Hill, Ill.; his wife, Bernice Berry Carpenter; two sisters, Lucille and Lorene Carpenter; and still born twins. He is survived by his daughters, Sonna Carpenter Frazier, of Kenley, N.C., and Carole Carpenter Garretson, of Indiana; grandchildren, Theodore Frazier, of Wake Forest, N.C., Amy Narron, of Kenley, N.C., Jonathan Frazier, of Wilson, N.C., Kelly Nelson Reid, Homewood, Ill., and Kara Nelson, of Iona, Wis.; and nine great-grandchildren. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Radford since 1948 where he served as Deacon Director and teacher in the Sunday School for years. Since 1991 he has headed a Bible Study Counseling Group each week in the Pulaski Correctional Unit. He served on the General Board of Virginia Baptists for four years, as well as serving on the Board of Trustees of Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. He received his B.Ed. Degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1934, and his MS degree from Radford University in 1972. He taught in the public schools of Illinois, West Virginia, and Virginia for 27 years. He was a member of the Radford Rotary Club since 1948, serving as president and was named a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International in 1985. He was the official “Story Teller” for the Radford Rotary Club for 50 years. He was president of L & R Theatre Corporation and operated the Radford Theatre for 30 years. He was Vice President of Operations of Shenandoah Theatres, Waynesboro and Boulevard Theatre Corporation, Salisbury, Md. In his 87th year he began a newspaper column, Ron’s Ramblings, carried in the area newspapers. In lieu of flowers, friends may make contributions to their favorite charities. The family will accept friends at DeVilbiss Funeral Home on Friday, August 20, 2010, from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral Services will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 21, 2010, at the First Baptist Church Sanctuary Radford, Va., with Dr. Paul Lane officiating. Entombment will follow in the Carpenter Crypt at Highland Memory Gardens Mausoleum. Arrangements by DeVilbiss Funeral Home, Radford, Va., 540-639-2422.