Ralph S. Carpenter ’47

Ralph Carpenter died Aug. 22, 2013, in Lexington, Ky., where he had lived and worked since 1965.

Ralph graduated from Montclair (N.J.) High School in 1943 and entered Princeton that summer. After enlisting in the Navy he spent two years as an electronics technician.

Returning to Princeton at war’s end, Ralph joined Campus Club, majored in history, and graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 1949. Three years later he received a divinity degree from Prince-ton Theological Seminary.

Ralph started his career as a hospital chaplain at New Jersey Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. While he was there he found time to earn a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary.

The bulk of Ralph’s career was spent at the University of Kentucky. When he retired in 1991 he was chairman of clinical pastoral counseling at University Hospital. He was proud of his work helping to educate hundreds of theological students and clergy. Holding part-time positions in several Lexing-ton churches, Ralph also earned a master’s degree in classical languages at the University of Ken-tucky.

The class sends its memories of this outstanding public servant to Ralph’s wife, Gail, and his two sons.