Jan. 1, 2011, brought in the celebration of a New Year and also the death and celebration of the life of Ronnie Carpenter, husband of Freda Carpenter. Children Phil, Brenda, Jeff, and Brian also survive along with 10 grandchildren and other relatives.

Ronnie was the father of one of my best friends, Phil Carpenter. I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Ronnie and Freda several times last fall.

Their house is located on High Street in Coal Grove next to what was Morgan’s Barber Shop when I was a boy.

My family lived across the street from the barbershop for several years. It was good to visit the old neighborhood and invigorating to talk with Ronnie and Freda. A few of the old timers in Coal Grove will remember Nourse Grocery Store. My grandparents, Ralph and Bess, owned the store in the late 1940s through the mid 1950s. It was located in the building that now houses Giovanni’s Pizza, also on High Street. Ronnie reminded me during our visit that his first job after graduating high school was at the Nourse Grocery Store.

As an adult, I often ran into Ronnie at Tipton’s Grocery in Ironton. My job as work-study coordinator with the Lawrence County Board of Education often took me into Tipton’s.

Oddly, Ronnie had worked for the old A & P Grocery in Ironton before moving to Tipton’s. Tipton’s would later buy the old A & P building on Jefferson Street and relocate in Ronnie’s former employers’ building.

I can’t remember a time that Ronnie did not have a smile on his face and a kind word for anyone who might need it.

At work, he was the consummate professional. At home, he was the consummate family man and Christian. His children were raised to be respectful, kind, and generous.

I’ve never had a single conversation with son Phil in which religion did not find its way into our talk.

Ronnie loved to sing gospel music, as does son Phil. Both Ronnie and Phil sang in Gospel Quartets for years. I remember Phil beaming with great pride and anticipation at the opportunity to sing in a group with Ronnie several years ago.

Family, friends, and acquaintances will miss Ronnie Carpenter. He managed to enrich the lives of everyone he met. We were fortunate to have Ronnie with us for 79 years. But the Lord has called Ronnie Carpenter home.

The Apostle Paul in Hebrews 12:1 tells us: “Wherefore seeing we also great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is before us.”

Ronnie Carpenter, husband, father, and Christian has run his race, and now patiently waits for his loved ones to finish their races and join him in heaven.

Ronnie Carpenter was the epitome of what it means to be a true Lawrence Countian.

Mike Nourse is a retired educator and contributing columnist for The Ironton Tribune. He lives in Coal Grove with wife Clara Gail, also a retired educator