Helen P Carpenter - Past President of Auxiliary American Legion LaSalle Post 1142
Helen P. Carpenter, loving wife and mother, died Friday April 18, 2003, at Mt. St. Mary's Hospital after a brief illness. The family gathered together to be with her. She was
born March 16, 1925 in Oil City, PA, the daughter of Amos Sylvester and Eleanor Marie(Gibbons) Roberts. After living her childhood in the Venango County, PA (includes Patchel Run, Franklin), she lived in Niagara Falls, New York.
She was pre-deceased by her husband, Richard G Carpenter and her son, Richard J Carpenter, Jr. She is survived by her children, Diane, William, Kenneth G, Suzanne and Carol; her grandchildren, Jeffrey, Sean, Dena, Earl, John. and Cody; her great-grandson, Connor; her brother, Edward Sylvester Roberts of Oil City, PA and her cousins, Lois, Peg and Alice and several nieces and nephews.
Mrs Helen P. Carpenter was the past President of the Auxiliary American Legion LaSalle Post 1142 and volunteered at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in previous years. She enjoyed traveling and, most of all, spending time with her family.
The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Monday at the Lane Funeral Horne, Inc., 8622 Buffalo Avenue where funeral services will be held at 9 p.m. Interment will be at the convenience of the family in Memorial Park Cemetery, Town of Lewiston, NY. Memorial donations may be made to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport, NY 14094.
Birth Certificate Reads "Master Richard Jean Carpenter" so at some time he changed it to Gene. (Jean is French for John), Middle name of his first born, Richard John Carpenter. Richard Gene Carpenter was the Great Grandson of Albert Augustus Carpenter UVCW (Union Veteran of Civil War) Drummer for Co G, 3rd New York Infantry, out of Nassau, Rensselaer, NY. who fought in the campaign against Fort Sumter in the winter of 1863 on Folly Island, NC, where the Union Army was camped.
Richard Gene Carpenter was employed as an Iron worker working for Local Union No. 9 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. One of the many jobs he had worked on was the Robert Moses Power Project, working on the Iron construction of the Power intake Conduits, which takes the water from the Niagara River before it goes over Niagara Falls, bypasses through the intakes at the Niagara River, goes through the conduits to the Reservoir and is used to make electricity for the Northeast US., before it channeled on to the Lower Niagara River and that intake channel is near where his final resting place in Gate of Heaven Cemetery located in Lewiston, NY. His wife Helen P. (Roberts) Carpenter is buried next to the Reservoir of the Power Project in Memorial Park Cemetery.
He remembers moving to Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY when he was only 4 years old.(1927) He attended Grade School at the Saint Johns School on 87th Street and Buffalo Avenue in LaSalle suburb of Niagara Falls, NY up to and including 9th Grade when he quit to get a job to help support his family.
He served in the U.S. Navy in 1943 through 1945.(see below). Dad was an avid sportsman as he hunted deer and turkey during the hunting season. He also liked to fish on his small boat on the Niagara River. He was a good father as he provided for his six kids and wife. He took us kids to several beaches each summer. He died while sleeping at his home at 70th and Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. The house was located at the Niagara River.
Richard Gene Carpenter was living at 8711 Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY when he was inducted into service on 3/6/1943. He entered into active Naval Service on 3/13/1943. He had been working at Hooker Electro Chemical Co. from 1942 to 3/1943 prior to Service in WWII.
He served on the following vessels or stations;
USNTS Sampson, New York,
Arm. Gd. Sch. Little Creek, VA,
AGC Brooklyn, New York,
Arm. Gd. Sch. Norfolk, VA,
AGC New Orleans, LA,
SS Charles H. Cramp,
SS Orbis SFSD (CSD] Probably SS Norbis
Point System Notes:
American Area,
European-African Mid-East,
Victory Medal
He served in the Navy for 2yrs 6 months and 22 days and held positions of SA, S 2/c, S 1/c- SV6 and was living at 9340 Read Avenue, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY when he was released under HONORABLE CONDITIONS on 11/3/1945.
Kennneth Gene Carpenter (son of Richard Gene Carpenter.)