Russell William Carpenter
November 4, 1960 ~ February 9, 2025
Born in:
Elk City, Oklahoma
Resided in:
Hughes Springs, Texas
Russell William Carpenter was born on Friday, November 04, 1960, in the old Standifer Hospital in Elk City, Oklahoma to Edmund and Johnnie Belle Parks Carpenter. The youngest of 8 children, he was welcomed by 5 brothers and 2 sisters, and grew up on the family ranch just southwest of the town of Hammon, OK. Russell departed this earthly life for his Home in glory in the afternoon hours of Sunday, February 09, 2025, wrapped in the arms of his wife, Cody, only 23 days after having received a devastating cancer diagnosis. He was 64 years, 3 months, and 5 days old.
A proud graduate of Hammon High School’s class of 1979, Russell grew up in the family farming and ranching operations and so developed phenomenal skills in operating all types of farming and earth moving equipment as well as metal working and welding. He had what some called an ‘uncanny ability’ to assemble, disassemble, recreate and then redesign everything mentally. Those skills, coupled with his acute depth perception, allowed him to fix and quite often improve absolutely anything. He was a highly intelligent, smart, humble, kind, self-effacing, genuine, tender man with a heart much, much bigger than this world in which he lived.
Russell, along with his brother Charles, became interested in antique tractors, and more specifically large prairie tractors; he developed a love for and appreciation of the Rumely Oil Pull tractors, and began his own collection in the early 1990’s. This collection briefly included two steam traction engines: a 1911 ‘M’ Rumely and a 1907 Reeves 32-110 cross compound. He enjoyed working on several types of old tractors, and was proud to have been able to hand down to his sons the 1935 Allis Chalmers UC that his father, Edmund, bought in 1941. He became an equipment operator and precinct shop foreman for Oklahoma County, retiring in 2005, but continued working as a commercial heavy haul driver for several companies, including Brady Welding & Machine Shop of Healdton, OK, and Turner Brothers Crane and Rigging, Longview, TX. He loved to reminisce about the numerous multiple axle trips he made with heavy loads, and his work during the construction of the wind farm near Carnegie, OK, where he was blessed to work with his brother Charles, his closest sibling and his first best friend. He later worked as a heavy earth equipment operator for Kingfisher County, OK, retiring once again in January, 2017.
He enjoyed taking his tractors to various shows, and several times was honored to have the ‘feature tractor’ or ‘feature engine’ at a show. He was a member of the Oklahoma Steam and Gas Engine Society in Pawnee, OK, for many years, and in 2019, he and Cody became Lifetime Members of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, MN. Their other favorite shows were the Divide County Historical Threshing Bee in Crosby, ND, the Major County Historical Society Threshing Bee in Fairview, OK, and the James Valley Threshing Show in Andover, SD. They also enjoyed narrow gauge railroads and steam locomotives, often making trips on their favorite railroad excursion, the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama, NM (favorite engine #487), and the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango, CO (favorite engine #493). Russell and Cody actually met due to each one’s affinity for steam power. After talking and texting about boilers, geared steam, conventional steam, reduction gearing, and other really neat things for the better part of 3 months, they realized they had transitioned from perfect strangers to having already fallen in love with each other, before ever meeting in person. They finally met in the spring of 2017, and married in 2018. But most of all, they thanked God every day, each for the other. (And would often say, “Father God is really sneaky sometimes.”)
Russell and Cody moved to the Piney Woods of East Texas in the fall of 2023, near her first real childhood home. He loved his pine trees, log cabin, and wooded acreage along the banks of the Black Cypress Creek. He thanked God daily for His mercies, His blessings, and His grace.
Russell was a Christian, a blood bought child of the risen King. He repented and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and the following week, he followed Jesus in believer’s baptism, and was baptized on Sunday, July 21, 2019, by Pastor Russell Duck at First Baptist Church, Elk City.
Russell faced his diagnosis with more peace and grace than is even imaginable. He held firm to his faith in his Lord and Savior, and never questioned or wavered, knowing he would either be healed here or in Heaven, and he was at peace with Father’s decision.
Russell is survived by his loving wife, Cody, of the home; sons Colton Carpenter, wife Brittany and grandson Wyatt, and Caleb Carpenter, wife Courtney and grandsons Cam and Calan, all of Okarche, OK; brothers Frank Carpenter and wife Scharleen of Sayre, OK, and Charles Carpenter of Hammon, OK; sisters Belinda Sullivan of Elk City, OK and Cynthia Carpenter of Tulsa, OK; his nephew who he loved and considered his brother, Cham Carpenter and wife Amy, of Edmond, OK, and his brother-in-law, Rodney Ricks, of Mt. Vernon, TX; Nine nephews and Ten nieces, and numerous great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edmund Clifford Carpenter and Johnnie Belle Parks Carpenter, brothers Clifford Carpenter, Daniel Carpenter, and John Carpenter, his first wife and the mother of his sons, Robyn Gammon Carpenter, and a best friend who became his brother-in-law, Mark Clay Sullivan.
A celebration of his life and his Homegoing will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 1 pm at First Baptist Church Elk City, 1600 W. Country Club Blvd, Elk City, OK, with the Reverend Gaylan Turner, Crawford, TX, and the Reverend Russell Duck, Elk City, OK, officiating. Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 12 noon, and ending shortly before the service begins.
A dinner reception will be held immediately following the ceremony in the Fellowship Hall, graciously provided by the church. There will be no internment ceremony, as it was Russell’s wish to be cremated and his ashes scattered near a favorite lake in Yellowstone National Park. Honorary Pallbearers will be his dear friends and their wives, all of whom Russell wished to recognize: Jon and Paula Leonard of Marlow, OK, and Mike and Sue Waggoner, and Dale and Cindy Wolff, all of Cushing, OK.
Russell requested that his wishes be honored and donations be made to Heart to Heart Hospice Foundation at their website (https://www.htohhfoundation.org). Your gift in his honor will allow the Hospice Foundation to provide end of life palliative care to those individuals who might otherwise be unable to remain in their home and with their loved ones, or to receive any help or proper medical care.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff of the Heart to Heart Hospice team, Mt. Pleasant, TX, and especially Russell’s hospice care team of Brandi, Tyler, and Keena, and his personal care giver and niece, Cinnamon.
Arrangements are under the direction of Kris Brock and the wonderful staff of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home, Hughes Springs, TX.
Services
Funeral Ceremony: February 15, 2025 1:00 pm
First Baptist Church Elk City
1600 W. Country Club Blvd.
Elk City, Oklahoma 73644
Visitation: February 15, 2025 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
First Baptist Church Elk City
1600 W. Country Club Blvd.
Elk City, Oklahoma 73644
View current weather.
Tribute Video
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
He was always happy and had a very gentle soul.
Praying for a blessing of peace for the family and friends of this gentle man.
Cody, Colton,Caleb
I had the privledge to work alongside Russell for several years during his time at Oklahoma County.
I truly believe that Russell only knew one way to perform his work.
Any task he took was always completed with a high level of quality.
Russell’s family brought him his greatest joy.
I was able to see from the outside looking in at how he raised his son’s .
I remember the dirt bikes , the hot rod cars and most of all the never ending search for the next special project.
I will miss our 2 hour talks on the phone to discuss our time together at the county and the latest tractor story in incredible detail.
Rest in Peace Russell.
Randy Snow