Lyle Clarence Carpenter, 85, passed away peacefully Friday, January 27, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was born March 11, 1937 in Seymour, Missouri, the sixth of ten children. Lyle was married to Glenda Arlene Carpenter (née Marshall) for almost 63 years.
After graduating from high school, Lyle began work with American Republic Insurance Company, remaining with them his entire career of 67 years, interrupted only by a brief period of service with the United States Army. While his accomplishments with American Republic were notable, his primary motivation was to be of service to his many clients, and he was still returning calls from some of them until a few days before his death. His salt-of-the-earth honesty, integrity, and hard work won him a loyal following among multiple generations of clients.
Despite many health challenges for the last 20 years of his life, Lyle maintained a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. He played tennis into his late 70s and golf multiple times a week until last Fall. He taught two-year-old Sunday School for 30-plus years at his church. He found humor in almost every situation, often retelling funny stories about mishaps from his early days selling insurance door to door. His quick wit and observations about human nature kept his family and friends in stitches.
Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, James and Edith Carpenter; his brothers, Glenn Carpenter, Paul Carpenter, and Lloyd Carpenter; and his sister, Rosemary Hake. He is survived by his wife, Glenda Carpenter; his daughters, Janet Crate and Nancy (David) Socolofsky; his sisters, Darlene Loring, Evelyn Whitehurst, Neva (Bill) Schroder, Shirley Huffman, and Carol Singer; and his grandchildren, Aaron Crate, Elizabeth Crate, and Hannah Socolofsky (Evan Schneider).
A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2023, at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel, 801-19th St., West Des Moines, Iowa 50265. A private graveside service will take place at Resthaven Cemetery.
In keeping with Lyle’s generous nature, the family suggest that, in lieu of flowers or other gifts, memorials be given to some of his favorite charities: JDRF, the foundation working to end Type 1 diabetes, at https://www2.jdrf.org/goto/lylecarpentermemorial; or Hope Ministries, PO Box 862, Des Moines, IA 50304, by providing food, clothing, and shelter to people in desperate need in central Iowa, at https://www.hopeiowa.org.
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