Philip Gaines Carpenter (Plainview)

Philip Gaines Carpenter, 86, went to his heavenly home on December 2, 2017 in Plainview, Texas.  Memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Plainview at 11 o’clock on Tuesday December 5, 2017 with Dr. Travis Hart of Ransom Canyon, Texas officiating. Graveside service will be at 10:00 a.m., prior to the memorial service in Plainview Memorial Park.  Arrangements are under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. Visitation for family and friends will be held in the church parlor immediately following the memorial service. Phil was born on June 8, 1931 in Columbus, Georgia to Philip Gaines and Alice Chalkley Carpenter. He grew up in Columbus and graduated from Columbus High School before attending the University of Georgia branch in Columbus and Trinity Bible College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Phil later transferred to Wayland Baptist College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954. Following graduation, he enrolled in Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1957. He married Carolyn Evans on June 29, 1956 in White Deer, Texas. Following their wedding they lived in Louisville, Kentucky for nine additional years. During his seminary tenure he was youth minister at Deer Park Baptist Church. Later he became the pastor of Davis Memorial Baptist church in Louisville for nine years before moving to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue graduate studies at Emory University. In 1968 Phil and his family moved to Plainview where he was employed at Wayland University as Baptist Student Ministries Director and an instructor in the Religion Department. During this tenure he earned his Master’s Degree in Counseling and Family Studies at Texas Tech University. In 1974, Phil was employed at Central Plains Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center as Coordinator of Mental Health Services for a nine-county area. Years later, he became and investment counselor with Southwest Securities in Lubbock. Phil was an active member of First Baptist Church in Plainview having taught Bible study classes for single adults as well as senior adult couples. He also was on the Community Concert Board of Directors. Phil lived a full life enjoying his family and friends. He was a devoted son, husband, father and grandfather. His three grandchildren were the delights of his life. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Frank Lee Carpenter. Family members left to cherish his memory are his wife, Carolyn, two sons, Philip III of Irving, TX, and Brian Carpenter and his wife Kathy of Canyon, TX, and a daughter, Camille Northcutt and her husband, Greg of Plainview. He also leaves three grandchildren, Caroline and Carson Northcutt of Plainview and Carley Carpenter of Canyon. His brother, John and his wife Phyllis of Deepstep, Georgia and a sister-in-law, Wanda Carpenter of Lilburn, Georgia.  He is also survived by a sister in law, Barbara Browning and husband, Jeane of Plainview, brother-in-law, Brian Ed Evans of White Deer and a sister-in-law, Nancy White of Texarkana, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins. Our family’s gratitude is extended to Amy Leatherman and her staff at Santa Fe Place for their dedicated care and love for Phil the last six months of his life and Nancy Kernell and Area Community Hospice for their care in recent weeks. Memorial contributions may be made to Family Endowed Scholarships at Wayland University, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, or a charity of your choice.