William Hugh Carpenter

William Hugh Carpenter, age 81, a resident of Albuquerque, NM, died Friday, October 1, 2021. He is survived by his beloved spouse, Patricia; son, Joseph Carpenter and his wife, Christine; daughter, Kathleen Carpenter Lucero and her husband, Brennan and their two children, William and Alora; son, Jonathan Carpenter and his wife, Jenean, and their six children Mary, Jacob, Margaret, Rebekah, Michael, and John Henry. He is also survived by his sister and best friend, Kathleen Griffin; and his recent fiancee, Mary Ann Teresa Garcia. He was recently preceded in death by his first grandchild, Meaghan; his sister, Joyce Malley; and his sister, Patricia Brandt.

Bill was born in Hobbs, NM, and later graduated from Carlsbad high school. He attended the University of New Mexico for his undergraduate and again later for Law School in 1966.

Bill's remains will be cremated and spread in a place special to him. Other people who knew him may pay their respects later at the Centennial Urn Garden, located at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.

Due to safety reasons, the guest list for the Funeral Service and Reception is limited to family and very select friends. You can attend his service virtually at http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/61874

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to charitable organizations which we believe Bill would approve.

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

There are those among us who knew more about Bill’s legal career than I, but I will share a few remarks prepared with the help of Bill’s friend and partner, Ed Chavez, who could not attend this Celebration of Life due to a prior commitment.

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.  On the plaque which hangs in the law school the following offers a fitting tribute: “After graduation from the UNM School of Law in 1966, Bill Carpenter began a life-long law practice devoted to injured victims of negligence and those wronged by abuses of corporate and governmental power.  Through his cases and as a leader of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, Bill Carpenter had a profound influence on the progressive development of New Mexico law.  In a career marked by excellence in service to his clients, commitment to high ethical standards and a winsome good humor, he is highly respected by all lawyers with whom he has come in contact.   He leaves in his wake a new generation of trial lawyers who are guided by his high standards and respect for the law and its institutions.”

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. Taking phone calls at all hours of the day and night to help them resolve things when they just didn't know what to do. He did this without any thought of compensation. He just did it.

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. I hope that you'll share those stories with each other and maybe also go to the French Mortuary website and post them to the comments on his obituary page so we can all share them in perpetuity.

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. Just drop off donations and not even wait around for a thank you. He would just do it. You can do things like that to honor Bill.

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. Bill did not really like flowers. I mean he actually loved flowers when they were planted in the ground, but he didn't like cut flowers too much.

So to remember him, please consider sending a donation to any of the causes which we know Bill cared about. A sheet with those causes listed will be placed on a table nearby. And that list will also be posted with his online obituary.

Remember that although he would not seek recognition, you can do it for him when you make a donation by mentioning that your donation is in memory of his name.

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

In honor of Bill Carpenter, donations to NMCCF can be made:

Online: Make a secure contribution online:
https://nmcancercenter.org/foundation/ways-to-give/
Phone: Call-in a credit card contribution or pledge by calling (505) 828-3791.
Mail: a contribution by printing out the donation form (on the DONATE page) and mailing it with your credit card information or check, payable to:

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

https://www.newmexicotrout.org/donation/

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.
Email us at biopark@cabq.gov for details.