Carpenter, M. Leroy (Roy)

M. Leroy (Roy) Carpenter of Iowa City, passed away Monday, April 19, 2010, at Mercy Hospital following a brief illness. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Gay & Ciha Funeral Home. Friends and family may call between 4 and 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial, with military honors, will be at the Lone Tree Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the First Methodist Church and Pathways Adult Day Care Center.

Roy was born near Lone Tree, the son of Charles and Frieda (Schuessler) Carpenter. He graduated from Lone Tree High School in 1940. In 1941, he attended Iowa State Teachers College. Roy enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corp in 1942. He was transferred to the U.S. Army Air Force in 1943, where he served until receiving an Honorable Discharge in March 1946. He was a life member of the John L. Mumm American Legion Post Number 457.

On March 5, 1947, Roy married Milly Campbell in the First Congregational Church's Little Chapel. They established a rural home near Lone Tree, where they owned and operated a farm until they moved to Iowa City in 1983. At that time they became members of the First United Methodist Church.

During his residence near Lone Tree, Roy was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church and its' predecessors. During this time, he served many years as Sunday school teacher, church school superintendent and church board member. Roy also served as Cub Scout Master and Explorer Scout leader at Lone Tree.

In 1962, Roy received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa, followed by a Master of Arts degree in 1971. Also in 1971, he earned a Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate and was extended a membership in the Phi Delta Kappa Professional Fraternity of Educators. Roy taught for many years in the Nichols, Muscatine and Iowa City school systems.

Roy will be missed by his wife of 63 years, Milly; his son, William J. Carpenter (Nancy) of Naperville, Ill.; daughter, Jan Key (Marc) of Ojai, Calif., and daughter, Kay Rosheim (Matthew) of Eden Prairie, Minn.

He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Jeffrey Carpenter, Andrew Carpenter, Amy (Carpenter) Tackett, Ryan Key, Christina Key, Laura Rosheim, Erik Rosheim; and four great-grandchildren, Hunter and Jacob Tackett, Alexander Carpenter and Penny Carpenter.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Geraldine (Carpenter) Heither; and brother, Warren Carpenter.