Christopher Carpenter

1940 - 2022

September 24, 1940 - May 29, 2022 Christopher Carpenter died peacefully on May 29th in Riverside, California after a brave battle with cancer. He was 81 years old. Chris was born in 1940 to William and Margaret Carpenter in Washington DC. He lived in Yermo/Barstow during his early childhood, where his father was stationed during World War II. His family later moved to Chevy Chase, Maryland, where he grew up. He graduated from Sidwell Friends High School in 1958. He chose to attend Pomona College when he saw students playing tennis in the sunshine during a college visit in the winter. While at Pomona, he met his future wife. He graduated from Pomona in 1962 and obtained a law degree from Yale University in 1965. He spent 3 years as a Captain in the Air Force JAG at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino. He joined Best, Best and Krieger in 1969, where he worked in the area of trusts and estates, until shortly before his death. Additionally, he served as managing partner of Best, Best and Krieger from 1987-1996. He served as the president of the Riverside County Trust and Estates Council. He was also a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Council. He also served on the boards of several charities such as the Settlement House, YMCA, The United Way, The Riverside Library Foundation and the Riverside Community Hospital. Most recently, he enjoyed volunteering with the Riverside Friends of the Library, sorting books donated by the public. In his spare time, Chris enjoyed many athletic pursuits such as tennis, basketball, racquetball, and body boarding at San Clemente Beach. He was also an accomplished golfer who shot 5 holes in one. He enjoyed taking road trips (especially in the California Desert) and yearly camping in Baja, California. He had visited all 50 states and several countries (including Yemen, Kenya, Egypt, Hong Kong, and all of Europe). He loved learning about history, geography, geology, and religion. He was also an avid collector of political buttons and World War II posters. Most of all, he loved to watch classic movies with his two cats by his side. Chris was predeceased by his wife of 48 years, Molly West Carpenter in 2015. He leaves behind his 2 daughters Alice Carpenter and Katy Kim (Young) and 2 grandsons. Also, he is survived by his younger siblings Carol Esteban and Craig Carpenter (Judy), as well as several beloved nieces, nephews, and in-laws. A memorial will be held for Chris on Saturday, July 9th at 11am at the Auditorium at Bobby Bonds Park/Caesar Chavez Community Center in Riverside. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Riverside Friends of The Library.