James "Jim" Carpenter

Jim Carpenter truly felt that he had a life well lived during his 73 years. Born in Oberlin, Ohio, March 9, 1944, he grew up in a military family and has traveled all his life. He spent his young years in Sendai (Japan), Arizona, and California. He graduated from Monterey High School in 1962 where he enjoyed running track. He went into the Air Force for four years where he served as an airplane repairman in the 379th Bombardment Wing of Strategic Air Command (SAC). He lived at a number of bases around the United States and in Thailand. He came back to Monterey and attended Monterey Peninsula College, transferring to Humboldt State University. He graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Biology summa cum laude and returned to Monterey Peninsula College to work in the Biology Department as a lab technician. Always eager to experience new and different things, he volunteered for the Peace Corps in Kenya for two years. He taught science, English, and other subjects, and tried to help the community in various endeavors and projects, such as building a library and water supply system. He enjoyed traveling throughout the game parks to observe and photograph wildlife while he lived there. Jim always loved nature and being in the outdoors. When he returned to the United States he went to work for the National Park Service as a Ranger Naturalist from 1978-1981 at Sequoia National Park and Death Valley National Park. He met and married his wife of 38 years, Elizabeth, also a Ranger naturalist, at Sequoia National Park in 1979. Jim began his twenty year career as a California State Park Ranger in 1981 at Big Basin Redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains and then worked at his dream job, Point Lobos State Reserve and Asilomar State Park until his retirement in 2001. He enjoyed interpreting the natural environment and history in the parks hoping that people would enjoy and understand these special areas and want to protect and preserve them for future generations. Jim instilled a deep appreciation and love for the natural world in his children, David (Monterey), Douglas (Pacific Grove), and Jaclyn (Portland, Oregon). His children are a lasting legacy of his kindness and love that were the hallmarks of his life well lived. He loved to travel, especially to parks, and had many adventures every summer. He had an endless curiosity about new things and often wondered what was around the next bend. Jim filled his life with love of family, nature, reading books, and listening to music. In return, his family and friends benefited from his sense of humor, knowledge, gentleness, and helpfulness for which he will always be remembered in their hearts. Service Information