Benjamin Carpenter

You're invited to attend the service for Benjamin Clay Carpenter or to join us for the Live Broadcast at 2:00 PM Saturday, January 6, 2024. Simply click on the link below.

Benjamin Carpenter Funeral Service Broadcast

Benjamin Clay Carpenter, 30, was struck and killed by a truck while doing his daily run on Friday, December 15, 2023.  He was born March 3, 1993 in Lexington, Kentucky, the son of Teddy and Alicia (Dick) Carpenter.  His sister, Rachel Ann Carpenter was born 2 years later.

 Benjamin, called Ben or Benj by many of his friends, attended East Jessamine High school, then graduated from Lafayette High School in 2012.  During high school, he earned his Karate black belt along with several competition awards.

After graduation, he joined the US Marine Corps and served in Iwakani, Japan until he returned to the US in 2016.  While stationed in Japan, he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal for superior performance of his duties while serving as mobile refueler chief.  This is the highest non-combat decoration awarded by the US Navy and Marine Corps.

He was an avid outdoorsman enjoying hiking, camping, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and anything on the lake.  He loved music and was always listening to something.  Surprisingly to his family, he leaned toward an older style, more raw country genre with Cody Jinks being one of his current favorites.  He played guitar and sang, much to the delight of those who got to hear him.  He was entirely disciplined and dedicated to physical fitness and health.  He ran 6-13 miles every day, enjoying the Anderson County countryside.

From an early age, Benjamin loved Jesus.  His journals and notes from the books he read are sprinkled with scripture.  He used his GI bill money to attend Masters Missions program in North Carolina so he could study the bible more intensely and learn all the skills they were teaching for those entering the mission field.  He had much of the Bible memorized.

Benjamin had a 2-year-old niece, Rory Shai Carpenter, whom he adored.  When her father stepped out, Benjamin stepped in.  She was the joy of his life for the last 2 years.

He was preceded in death by his grandmothers, Glenis (McBee) Dick of Mt. Vernon, KY, Dolores (Ladd) Brown of Danville, KY, his grandfather, William (Buddy) Brown of Danville, KY, and Great Aunt Virginia Rose (McBee) Badida of Burlington, KY.  He is survived by his parents, his sister and niece, his grandparents, Jerry and Mona (Korthal) Dick of Kernersville, NC, and aunts and uncles who included Russ and Patty Brown of Danville, Chuck Brown of Owensboro, KY, Jerry Dick of Lancaster, KY, Alan and Michele (Dick) Fark of Lebanon, OH, Stephen and Elizabeth (Ford) Dick of Lawrenceburg, KY, and Lana Robinson of Kernersville, NC.   He loved all his first cousins.  They are Patrick and Stephanie (Dick) Kelly, Michael and Hope (Thompson) Dick, Aaron and Amanda (Dick) Munro, Alex and Danielle (Wilkerson) Remillard, Geoffrey and Lindsay (Wilkerson) Hobstetter, Holden Robinson, Sarah Barney, Michael Barney, Rex and Monica (Brown) Meyr, Dana Brown, John and Katie (Brown) Lynn, Joel and Liza (Brown) Ciaccio, and Sarah Brown.  Also survived by his Great Uncle John Wayne Badida of Burlington and all the Badida cousins, plus friends given to him by God, Zack Combs and family. 

Celebration of Benjamin’s life will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024, 1pm till 4pm, with a service at 2pm at Ritchie and Peach Funeral Home 701 N Main St, Lawrenceburg, KY.   A block of rooms has been reserved at a reduced rate at Best Western in Lawrenceburg under the name “Dick.” Room rate will be $108 and phone is 502/839-3444.  They ask to make your reservation by January 1, 2024

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider a donation to a trust fund for his niece Rory.   He always wanted to make sure she was cared for.