Elwood Carpenter

Memorial services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 26, at First Baptist Church for Thomas Elwood Carpenter of Artesia, New Mexico.

Mr. Carpenter, 70, died Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at his home.

Rev. Tracy Patterson will officiate at the services. Cremation is under direction of Terpening Son Mortuary.

A gathering of family and friends is scheduled for Sunday evening at the home of Barbara Derrick, 410 S. Roselawn Ave., Artesia.


Mr. Carpenter was born February 11, 1940 in Dexter, New Mexico the son of Chester Arthur Carpenter and Lorene Barton Carpenter.

On November 18, 1961 he was married to Shirley Graves in Artesia. He moved back to Artesia in 1954 from Texas.

Elwood worked and was very proud of his accomplishments as a printer for 56 years. He started working at Artesia Printing Company as a student. He later purchased that shop and then sold to Bryan Printers where he stayed employed with them for nine years. He then took a job at Alpha Graphics and moved to Portland, Oregon. After working in Oregon for nine years he moved back to Artesia and back with Bryan Printers until February of this year. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Artesia.

Survivors include his wife Shirley Carpenter of the family home sons Greg Carpenter of Plano, Texas, and Jeff Carpenter of Portland, Oregon daughter Carol Carpenter of New York City, New York sisters Savannah Derrick of Artesia, Day Hodge of Carlsbad, N.M., Bonnie Derrick of Hope, N.M., and Idell Barnett of Centerville, Pennsylvania brothers Bill Carpenter of Roswell, N.M., and C.A. Carpenter of Hobbs, N.M. grandchildren Sarah Noelle and Joshua Patrick Carpenter both of Portland, Oregon.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, 3513 10th St., Lubbock, TX 79415 or to Woodbine Cemetery for native trees. Those wishing to contribute online, can find a link to the Hope Lodge by clicking on Recommended Links on the left side of this page, and scrolling down the MemorialsCharities section.