- Date Of Birth: April 22, 1940
- Date Of Death: October 1, 2021
- State: New Mexico
William Hugh Carpenter Eulogy
No one person could ever tell Bill’s full story. He touched the lives of so many people, as do we all, whether we know it or not.
BILL CARPENTER CAME FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
His dad was a milk farmer, an ambulance driver, and a mortician. His mother Dorothy was raised by her mother and grandmother, and like them Dorothy ran a photo studio as one of the early women owned businesses of that time. Strong women were always a part of Bill’s life. You all know who you are.
Bill was his dad’s right hand man, even as a boy. He tragically lost his dad at age 15 to an airplane crash. This event clearly influenced the man he was to become. He started out after high school in mortuary school, because he wanted to fill his father’s shoes and help his mother with the family business. Well, it turns out those shoes did not fit Bill just right, so he changed careers and with his wife Patricia’s help, he put himself through law school.
BILL WAS A LAWYER
Bill was a skilled trial lawyer who devoted his life to improving safety in our communities. His folksy style and common-sense cross-examination of prestigious engineers and scientists, persuaded juries more times than not to hold big businesses and governments accountable for their intentional or negligent behavior that caused catastrophic injuries or death. Bill was never interested in recognition, was not a self-promoter, yet he was recognized by State, National and International organizations for his lawyering skills and devotion to the practice of law.
The University of New Mexico School of Law recognized Bill’s contributions to the law and the profession by awarding him in 2008 its Distinguished Achievement Award.
BILL WAS A SON
Bill was a loving and faithful son to his mother Dorothy. He cherished her and protected her, and modeled for us the kind of familial devotion that is worth following. The values of his parents were passed through him to all who knew him.
BILL WAS A BROTHER
I encourage you to speak to his sister Kathleen Griffin or my mother to hear more about what Bill was like as a brother. But I can tell you that I know he was close to all three of his sisters in different ways. He took care of them if they were having a hard time. He helped them and also their children in more ways than I will probably ever know. Because he never bragged about it. He just did it.
BILL WAS A HUSBAND AND A LOVER
I have not had an opportunity to meet many men who are as loving and loyal to their wife as my father. Growing up, I observed my parents in moments of love and anger and joy and tenderness. He was not always the most patient man. However, through times that were difficult and through times that were plentiful they got through it together.
Bill led the office life, and Patricia led the home life. That was the arrangement they had and it worked well.
After many years, circumstances beyond their control changed the nature of their relationship. Bill remained loyal to serving and protecting Patricia and loved her deeply until his dying day. All of that is true.
It is also true Bill found another love in his relationship with Teresa Garcia. But that was not to be. Patricia is his widow. Yet it important to recognize his love for Teresa was not a simple affair. Bill truly loved both of these women. His heart was so big and full of love that he had plenty to spare. He will be mourned by them both.
BILL WAS A FATHER and A GRANDPA
Just as he loved the other people he cared for and cared about, Bill loved his children and grandchildren fiercely. Bill’s children and grandchildren never doubted that he loved them. He was sometimes a little intense with how he expressed his love, but we all learned to decipher these *passionate pleas* as his strong desire for us to be safe, and happy, and well. He was always there when someone needed him and was boisterous with his pride in his children and grandchildren. He was a complicated man, but love is simple and our family has never been short on love. We will miss him very much and love and remember him always.
BILL WAS A CITYFARMER
His best adventures were brought to him by his friends.
When I was about age 10 or so, Bill had seen enough success that it made him worry that his kids might miss something critical in their character development. Something that comes from hard work. So with advice from his friend Rex Clemmer, may he rest in peace, he bought an alfalfa farm in Estancia, NM and moved us all out to the sticks. Patricia took this move in stride and they quickly became prominent members of the community, with Bill announcing at the local rodeos where my sister competed in barrel racing. I have many memories of Bill working on the tractor or the hay baler and cursing loudly when he banged his fingers. His CB handle at the time was Cityfarmer, which describes him pretty well because even as he continued his career as a prominent big city attorney, he never lost sight of his small town roots.
BILL WAS CARING AND GENEROUS
If you wanted to summarize Bill Carpenter into one or two words you might struggle a bit. I recommend Caring and Generous as fine choices. We’ve talked a little bit about caring, so I’ll focus on generous next.
Bill would take a shine to certain clients and do much more than just represent them in court. He would take them under his wing and become a true counselor to them.
Once upon a time I was struggling with whether or not I should loan my friend $100 bucks to get him through a hard time, and at the time $100 dollars was a lot of money for me. I asked my dad for advice, and this is what he told me, “Never loan money that you can’t afford to give.” So I gave my friend $100 dollars and I’ll never forget that advice.
My sister recounted in the past couple of days, “Dad was about you pay it back by paying it forward. He was about paying it forward long before that was turned into a movie.”
Bill gave time and money to so many people over the years there’s no way I could recount all of those stories. Some were friends, some were family, and some were perfect strangers. Many of those stories live within you who are hearing this now, or those who may read this later.
My brother told me something a few days ago that I didn’t know. Bill would randomly do things like go purchase 50 lb bags of beans and take them to the food bank. He did that and other similar things often.
Bill would take every opportunity to support any effort to buy school supplies or books for children. He supported the Albuquerque Zoo, partly because he enjoyed it and also because his mother had enjoyed it so much. He gave of his time to causes which he believed in. Working to improve the lives of people all throughout New Mexico, and even to clean up the river waters so that more people could enjoy what he enjoyed most outside his law practice and his family, which was fly fishing.
BILL WAS A FISHERMAN
To say that Bill was an avid flyer fisherman was about right. Some of the people here today have had the privilege of going fishing with him and witnessing his joy. I’d like to say that he slapped the water on many rivers, and if you know anything about fly fishing you know that you’re not supposed to slap the water.
But nobody could ever tell Bill Carpenter what to do.
All jokes aside, he was a pretty good fisherman and he enjoyed it so much.
Exploring beautiful places, and fishing beautiful rivers was his ideal way to spend time. It is what he wanted to do more, and what he would have done more had he not left us all too soon. If there’s a heaven made just for him, it’s going to be near a courthouse at the fork of several rivers with big beautiful fish to catch, and then release, so he can go catch them again another day.
SUMMARY
I have so much more I can say about Bill Carpenter. He was my father. He was my employer and later my client for most of my adult career. He was my business partner for a goodly portion the last 20 years. And as all of those relationships evolved he was also my close personal friend. He will always be a part of me, and I will miss him so.
We will all miss him so.
DONATIONS
Before I wrap this up, I have a little bit of business.
UNM School of Law
Attn: Nickie Vigil
MSC11 6070
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Re: Bill Carpenter Scholarship
New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation
Online: Make a secure contribution online:
New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation
4901 Lang Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109-4495
N.M. Trout Unlimited
P.O. Box 32952
Santa Fe, NM 87594
Re: In honor of Bill Carpenter
New Mexico Trout
P.O. Box 3276
Albuquerque, NM 87190-3276
Re: In honor of Bill Carpenter
NM Biopark (Albuquerque Zoo)
In honor of Bill Carpenter.
You can donate in several ways:
Call the BioPark at 505-248-8500.
