Dan Houston Carper

CARPER, Dan Houston Dan Houston Carper, 91, died peacefully and surrounded by his beloved family on Sat., June 15, He was born in Elgin, and also lived in Bartlett. He loved the Blackland Prairie lands of Central Texas and spent much of his boyhood exploring its environs. A World War II veteran, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1946 and served honorably for three years. In 1956, he graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, where he met his wife of 62 years, Roma. They married in August of 1955 and soon after settled in their Austin home, where they raised two daughters and lived throughout their marriage. He and Roma were lifelong members of Crestview United Methodist Church, where they had many dear friends. Dan worked as a manufacturing manager in several Austin companies, with most of his years spent at Columbia Scientific Industries. Dan had many interests, and was always eager to learn something new, from skiing and playing the piano, to running and rose gardening, among many others. Throughout his life, Dan pursued writing, including poems and essays. Later in life he wrote a memoir about a year of his boyhood in Bartlett. One of his proudest accomplishments was working to digitize crumbling Bartlett newspapers and have them included in the Portal to Texas History through the University of North Texas. In addition to his wife Roma, he is survived by two daughters, Joan Baker (Bruce) and Jennifer Fernandes, his beloved grandchildren Rebecca Baker and Daniel Fernandes, two sisters, Mary Lou Smith of Laurinburg, NC and Virginia Hubbard of Atlanta, GA. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Henry Carper and Louise Talbot, brother Jack Carper, and sister Jane Abersol. A Funeral Service will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at Cook Walden Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North IH-35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660. Lay Minister Arlene Smith officiating. Interment will follow in Cook Walden Capital Parks Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 AM until the time of service at 11:00 AM at Cook Walden Capital Parks Funeral Home. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider Memorial Contributions in Dan's name may be made to Crestview United Methodist Church, 1300 Morrow St, Austin, TX 78757. Please visit www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com where you may leave condolences and share memories with Dan's family.