Leon A. "Tom" Carpenter III

Leon A. "Tom" Carpenter, III
On May 25, 2025, we lost a funny, passionate man who loved his family, Rutgers, golf & his dogs.
Tom and his twin sister Muff were born in Somerville, NJ on December 11, 1935. Their parents, Sally and Leon A. Carpenter Jr, moved the family from Clinton to Metuchen when the twins were very young.
Tom graduated Metuchen High School in 1953, and he then went on to Rutgers College, where he was a member of Lamda Chi Alpha. He was Captain of the Queens Guard and graduated in 1957.
He proudly served his country as a navigator in the USAAAF's Strategic Air Command, honorably discharged as a Captain.
The majority of his professional career was spent at Amerada Hess, where he worked for 35 years before retiring.
Throughout his life, he was devoted to RU and was a member of the Rutgers Alumni Association board, serving a term as President. He received several awards from Rutgers, recognizing his commitment to the Scarlet Knights. He received the Walter H. Seward Class of 1917 Reunion Spirit Award, honoring alumni who made a lifelong commitment to reunion activities and who dedicated themselves to fostering friendship and camaraderie in the Rutgers community. He was honored with the Loyal Sons Award in 1998 and the Golden Oak Award in 2011.
The first Rutgers Legacy Award was presented to Tom and his family, acknowledging the generations of Carpenters who graduated from the University, including his father, Leon A Jr., daughters Mary and Joanne, and his two grandsons, Nicholas and Andrew.
While living in Edison, he was an active member and President of the Edison Jaycees, and Chairman of the Edison Housing Authority. From Edison, the family moved to Holmdel, eventually moving to Freehold.
He is survived by his wife Mary of 66 years, daughter Mary of Edison, son Tom (Jeannie) of Simsbury, CT, daughter Joanne (Edward) Tonini of Matthews, NC, daughter Michelle Shebell of Lakewood, nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews. We are grateful for the loving care and support provided by Rose DiDonato who was a bright light during his illness.
He was pre-deceased by his parents Leon and Sara "Sally" Carpenter, his twin sister Sandra "Muff" Clark, and his brother Brian Carpenter.
A viewing will be held at Higgins Memorial Home, 20 Center St., Freehold, from 4:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, May 29, 2025. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Rose of Lima, 16 McLean St., Freehold, NJ at on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 10:30 AM. Interment will be private and held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Tom's name to the Rutgers University Men's Golf Program