Donald Wayne Carpenter, Teague, died peacefully at the age of 80 at the Teague Nursing & Rehabilitation facility early Wednesday morning on Jan. 29, 2025.
Don was born Oct. 30, 1944, at the Davidson Hospital in Teague to Willie T. and Zelda Carpenter but spent the majority of his early life in Donie, where he developed a love of the woods and the wildlife within it. This love of nature would be passed on to his children, grandchildren, and countless other relatives and friends. Don was the middle child of 11 children, two brothers and eight sisters.
In addition to his skills as hunter and fisherman, Don, as a teenager, showed his skills as an athlete. At Teague High School he excelled in football and track. At the district track meet his senior year, Don was the high-point man, winning first in the 100-yard dash, first in the 220-yard dash, and first in the 440-yard dash. He was awarded a track scholarship to Navarro Jr. College. Always known for his friendly nature and ready smile, Don was voted both class favorite and all-school favorite by his classmates, but if you were to ask him his most important accomplishment, Don would have told you that it was meeting the love of his life, Penny Lancaster, who was also a member of the Class of ‘63.
