Shirley died in a car accident
3114. Bernard Byron Bender-Carpenter
1920 U. S. Census, Allegan MI. Vol 3, Ed. 39, Sheet 1, Line 37. Byron Carpenter, 52 yr., b. MI; Alice, wife, 45, b. MI; Vern, son, 21 yrs., b. MI, Benard grandson, 4 10/12, b. MI. Bernard Byron (Bender) Carpenter, was born in March and his mother, Maude Carpenter Bender died in June 1915 with Bilious Fever. He was raised by his grandparents, Byron and Allice Carpenter and used the name of Bernard Byron Carpenter throughout his life. (He may have been legally adopted by the grandparents. This needs to be researched.)
MARRIAGE. Allegan County Clerk, Allegan, MI. Vol 18, p. 428. Bernard Byron Carpenter, age 25, of Shellbyville, MI, b. Allegan MI, married, Mary Elizabeth Raab, age 17, of Shelbyville, MI., b. Allegan Co, MI. Married, 15 Oct 1941. Parents of groom: Byron Carpenter & Alice Pierce. Parents of Bride: Perry Raab & Bessie Clark. Witnesses: Doyle Shafer of Wayland & Mrs. Violet Lindsey of Hopkins, MI. (Byron and Alice Carpenter were actually his grandparents).
East Martin Cem.: Bernard Byron Carpenter, PVT U. S. Army, W.W. II, Mar 15, 1915-Sept 11, 1965. We visited the gravesite, but it was probably a military marker only. Information received in 1999 stated he was buried in Detroit. Kathy Crow of Climax, MI also said he had a child by a second marriage. The vital records of Detroit need to be researched.
Gerald is a twin to Geraldine.
MARRIAGE. Allegan County Clerk, Allegan , MI. Vol. 21, Page 213. Gerald Verne Carpenter, age 20, of Martin, MI, b. Allegan, Allegan, MI, married Carolyn Sarah Nickels, age 22, of Kalamazoo, b. Portland, Maine. Married, 22 Aug 1946 in Wayland, Allegan, MI. Parents of the groom: Verne Carpenter & Jessie Jordan. Parents of the bride: Albert W. Nickels and Flora Nevins. Witnesses: Geraldine Carpenter of Martin, MI. & William B. Demereek of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI.
East Martin Cem., Martin, Allegan, MI. Gerald Verne Carpenter CM3 US Navy, World War II, Oct 25, 1925-June 1, 1973: on tombstone. Kathy Crow told us in 1999 that he was buried in Portland, Oregon. The markers in the family plot are military memorial plaques. Carolyn was taken back to the Nickles family plot in Portland, Maine
Family records sent in 1993, "Gerald Verne b. Oct 25, 1925 married Caroline Nickles of Maine, 4 children, Randall Verne, Cyntha, Wesley David, Lorie Ann. Both Carolyn and Gerald are now deceased. He in a car accident in Oregon, and she from cancer." He is actually buried in Oregon.
Died of Cancer, before 1997. She was buried in Maine.
Family records sent in 1993, "b. Jan 20, 1928, married Charles Middleton, 2 sons, Russell Verne, Richard Earl. They lived in Wayland, MI." Accident, she was very burned. Died of Cancer.
MARRIAGE:
Married on Easter Sunday. No year given.