Tommie "Tom" Carpenter

On Saturday, May 27, 2017 Tommie “Tom” Ross Carpenter, 69, of Yerington, Nevada went to be with the lord. He passed away unexpectantly from a heart attack at his home in Palm Desert, California. Tom was a loving, generous and charismatic person.

Tom was born on October 23, 1947 in Rugby, North Dakota to Ernest and Marie (McCombs) Carpenter. He had 13 brothers and sisters. Tom spent most of his childhood growing up on a farm and helping to support his family. At just 17 years old he started working at Microflect and traveled all over the United States and Australia. He then decided to start a mobile brake business. It didn’t do as well as he expected so he went back to work for Microflect. On June 27, 1970 he married the love of his life, Ginger  Peterson-Carpenter in Salem, Oregon.  Ginger began to travel with Tom for work until they decided to settle down and start a family. He then opened Tom Carpenter Builder, a very successful company until the 1980’s. That’s when he opened his own tower company, Microwave Tower Service. After a devastating stroke at just 48 he merged the company with Specialty. Although he thought of retiring, he wasn’t ready. With much determination and a lot of hard work he recovered from his stroke. He then purchased a home and cattle Ranch (Sunrise Ranch) in Yerington, Nevada. This was where he felt most at home. When he wasn’t at the ranch you could find him in the garden in Palm Desert, collecting coins, playing in the stock market, driving his vintage cars, or putting together the next business deal.

Tom is survived by his wife Ginger Carpenter, their two daughters, Regan Donofrio and her husband Brian “BJ” Donofrio of Salem, Oregon, and Nicole Douglass of Lake Oswego, Oregon; six grandchildren Elle, Charley and Sloan Donofrio, and Riley, Macy, and Hudson Douglass, and brothers and sisters, Gene Carpenter, Ernie Carpenter, Linda Larson, Nancy Rosin, Pam Kokstis, Penny Smith, Steve Carpenter, Matthew Carpenter, and Cathy Boitz.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Ernest and Marie Carpenter, his grandparents, and 3 brothers Monte Carpenter, David Carpenter, and Shelby Carpenter, and 1 sister Connie Avery.

Tom was a loving father, husband, grandfather and friend to all.

A funeral will be held at 3:00PM, Friday June 16 ^th at Calvary Baptist Church where he has been a member for 45 years. 1230 Liberty Street SE Salem, Oregon 97302. Immediately following will be a Celebration of Life at Illahe Hills Country Club 3376 Country Club Drive Salem, Oregon 97302. There will be a private graveside service for immediate family members at Bellcrest Cemetery. Memorials may be made in his name to limbsforlife.org.