Kenneth W Carpenter

Kenneth Wade Carpenter was born September 18, 1939, in Bakersfield, California to Wade Benjamen and Lois Lillian Foster Carpenter. At a young age, Ken's family began an up-and-down journey along Route 66 between the San Joaquin Valley of California and lands around Gainesville, Texas where his parents were from. Ken's family moved three to four times a year for the next 15 years, always the "new kid" in school. His mother, Lois, stopped moving once Ken was enrolled in Gainesville High School. However, Ken was a few credits Shy of graduating with a GHS diploma, but soon attained a GED when he joined the United States Navy, serving for four years and devoting his life to being a Bible teacher and lifetime student of many genres.

After arriving in Hyampom, California Ken met a red-headed schoolteacher by the name of Katherine Oreb, who he wed in Sparks, NV on June 5th, 1965 (nearly 58 years ago). Ken wanted a place he could finally call home, so his children didn't have to endure the unstable life of constantly changing towns and schools. Fortunately, Ken and Kathy fell in love with the town and mountains of Grangeville, ID; planting deep roots on a sizable piece of property on Cove Placer Road, where they would raise four children. Ken built a small cabin and later a larger log house for his growing family.

Ken's early life in Grangeville consisted of work, work, and more work; instilling his work ethic and goodwill in all his children. He worked for three mills in the Grangeville area also taking on jobs as a handyman and performing yard work. Ken eventually found a career as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, where he worked for 25 years. Unbeknownst to many residents along his mail route, Ken would spend many hours praying for them and the town of Grangeville while making his rounds. Ken's service to the community included being the president of the board of directors of Hope Center for many years, teaching adult classes such as, "Making Peace with Your Past" several times and, most importantly, raising his children to become upstanding and contributing members of their local communities and abroad. Ken also provided services in his world travels, beginning in 1960 when he joined the Navy in the Philippine Islands. Later he traveled to India on medical mission teams, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, encouraging Christians and spreading God's word in their nations. He also traveled to Israel and Greece with his father-in-law Tony Oreb.

About 14 years ago, he developed prostate cancer which went into remission with treatment until five years ago. Ken ended treatment in April of 2022 when he began hospice care at home provided by Syringa Hospice nurses and volunteers and his children. He passed, surrounded by family, into the loving arms of Jesus on January 25, 2023. Ken is survived by his wife Katherine, his four children and a multitude of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Children: Kevin (Wendi) Carpenter, Kamiah, ID; Karen (Tony) Kight, Kaltenbrunn, Germany; Keith (Kristine), Shoreline, WA; Kent (Erin), Sylva, NC. Grandchildren: {Kevin} Kaleigh (Mitchell) Scott, parents of Miles, Maverick, and twins Marvin and Kimberlynn, Nezperce, ID; Kaleb (Rachel) parents of Tom, and one on the way! Lewiston, ID; Kristian, Moscow, ID); Kamas, Gig Harbor, WA; Kourtne (Parker) Whipple, Kamiah, ID; KJ (Payton) parents of Delilah, Lewiston, ID; children of Wendi, Gatlin and Dally , Kamiah, ID {Karen} Kale (Emily) Kight, Box Springs, GA; Samuel Kight, Box Springs, GA; Hannah (Aaron) Cowart, parents of Asaph and foster daughter Akala, Columbus, GA {Keith} Konnor, parent of Klara, Shoreline, WA; Kaden, Shoreline, WA; Kody, Phoenix, AZ; Kaleb, Shoreline, WA {Kent} Katie, Sylva, NC.

Ken was predeceased by grandparents Phillip Benjamin and Cypha Wade Carpenter, and Katie Laura and William Edgar Foster; parents Lois and Wade Carpenter; daughter-in-law Kimberly Tollman Carpenter (age 41 ,Kevin 1989-2010); greatgrandchildren, twins, Marshall (3) and Mason (5) Scott and Bethel Eden Cowart (1 1/2).

A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 1:00 pm at Redeemer Baptist Church, Grangeville. Refreshments will be provided following the memorial services. Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville. You may submit a condolence to the family at blackmerfuneralhome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kenneth W Carpenter, please visit our floral store.