Jerome H. Carpenter dies at 80

Jerome H. Carpenter, age 80 of Ionia, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016 at his home.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Ionia with Father Brian Dellaert celebrating. Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral mass on Saturday. Burial will be at a later date. Online condolences for Jerome’s family may be left at www.conway-markhamfh.com. Memorials may be directed to the family.Jerome Howard was born on July 16, 1936 to Howard and Anna (Jenn) Carpenter on the family farm in rural Nashua. He was a 1954 graduate of New Hampton High School. Upon graduating, Jerome entered and served his country in the United States Army as a paratrooper until his honorable discharge in 1956. When he returned home, Jerome purchased a bowling alley in West Union. He then attended Mankato State University and Winona State University to obtain his Master’s Degree in Education. From there he began his teaching career in the Rochester Area School Districts. Jerome battled mental illness for the remainder of his adult life. At the point in his life, Jerome moved back to the Ionia area and was able to work at various jobs for short periods of time. Jerome loved bowling, traveling a great distance to enter and compete in bowling tournaments winning many awards. He also enjoyed playing cards and pull tabs. Jerome is survived by his brother, Herbert Carpenter of New Hampton and several nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Bernice (Louis) Flick, Russell Carpenter, Marlys (Willis) Baldwin, Eleanor (Donald) Rosonke and his sister-in-law, Alice Carpenter.