Cecil Dean Carpenter

Cecil Dean Carpenter December 20, 1928 - May 20, 2009 Cecil Dean Carpenter of Waco went to be with his Lord and his wife, Dorothy, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, at Western Heights Baptist Church with Rev. Curtis Holland officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday, May 25, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Cecil was born December 20, 1928 in Coolidge, Texas, at his home, to Lee Samuel and Iona Beatrice Carpenter. He grew up and lived his whole life with three older brothers who always called him "Cecil Dean". He attended school in Waco and the surrounding area until he finished at Waco High in 1947. He served in the National Guard and the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1955 as a Master Sergeant at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri and Ft. Riley, Kansas. Cecil married Dorothy Marie Miracle on November 16, 1950, and had two children, Jerry and Tim Carpenter. He worked as an auto mechanic first with his brothers and then later on his own in several different locations. He owned Carpenter Service Center from 1967 until 1989 when he retired from the auto repair business. He then enjoyed driving cars for car dealers in the area for many years. In 1960 he began in the Shrine and the Scottish Rite Blue Lodge and was a member of the Masons Fidelis Lodge 1127. One of his many passions was to be able to help children through the Shrine by driving the kids to the Galveston Hospital for treatment. Cecil was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy Carpenter; but even though she died in 2004, it was important to Cecil that they would be "Together Forever". He is survived by sons, Jerry Carpenter and wife, Nancy of Robinson and Tim Carpenter and wife, Janet of Hewitt; grandchildren, Scott Bryant and wife, Jill, Susan Carpenter and Andrew Carpenter; great grandchild, Hollyn Bryant; nephews, Larry Stephens and Danny Stephens. Pallbearers are Jerry Carpenter, Tim Carpenter, Scott Bryant, Andrew Carpenter, Robert Lee Carpenter, Larry Stephens, Barry Johnson, and Tom Beard. Honorary pallbearers are Kenneth Carpenter and J.T. Carpenter. The family wishes to thank the people who work, serve and love from Providence Hospice Home Health Services and those who help provide for Hospice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey