Vernon Carpenter, 91, of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019 at the Winner Regional LongTerm Care Center in Winner, SD.
Mass of Christian burial was held on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Burial was at 2:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Armour, SD on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019.
Vernon Joe Carpenter, born Jan. 11, 1928 and passed away on Nov. 24,2019 at Winner Regional Long-Term Care at the age of 91.
He was married to JoAnn Kathryn (Lammers) Carpenter. They shared 66 years of marriage.
Born near Wister, Okla., he was the son of Alkali (Doc) Carpenter and Lula (Wilson) Carpenter. He graduated from Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, Oklahoma with a degree in vocational agriculture. After graduation he was employed as a vo-ag teacher and also loved refereeing high school football and basketball in Nebraska and South Dakota.
On Aug. 22, 1953 he and JoAnn were married.
After several years of teaching he joined the Ralston Purina Company as a district sales manager where he was employed for 24 years until his retirement.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, and playing cards throughout his life. During his retired years he took particular enjoyment in traveling with his grandchildren and sharing his favorite hobbies with them.
He is survived by his wife JoAnn, Winner, SD, a younger sister Margie (Leo) Christ, Newton, KS, his daughter, Mary Carpenter (Dan Flynn), Winner, SD, His son Mark, Mill Spring, NC, his grandchildren Grant (Erin) Flynn, Tristan and Sean, Pierre, SD, Katie (Jessie) Harris, Ayden, Lucia, Jesse, Mylah, Telon, and Tobias, Winner, SD, and Jamie Flynn, Tucson, AZ.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings Ona Wiggington, Robert Carpenter, Ola Martin, Luella Todd, Frank Carpenter, and Oman Carpenter.