HAMPSTEAD | John McMurray "Jack" Carpenter III, 75, died peacefully on January 19, 2016. Jack was born on September 29, 1940, in the Philippine Islands to Margaret Milne Carpenter and John McMurray Carpenter Jr. He moved with his family from the Philippines to Colorado and eventually settled in McIntyre, Georgia where he spent his youth. For high school, Jack attended Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Georgia and proceeded to Georgia Tech for college, graduating as a Chemical Engineer in 1963. That same year, Jack and his wife Evelyn, started their life together. They were married at Log Cabin Church in Smyrna, Georgia, moving to Fayetteville, N.C., where Jack served as a first lieutenant in the Army's Chemical Corps division. In 1965, they moved to Kinston, North Carolina where they raised their three children and established cherished, lifelong friendships. Jack worked for DuPont for 35 years and traveled extensively around the world, managing their Technology Transfer group. The opportunity to travel gave Jack tremendous pleasure and he took his family with him as often as he could. After a brief move to Wilmington, DE, Jack and Evelyn returned to North Carolina where he ran the Charlotte-based technology group Invista. Afterwards, he created his own technology consulting company in Wilmington, North Carolina, which he operated until his official retirement in 2011. Jack loved boating and fishing all of his life, and he was an amazing barefoot skier, which he often joked was because he couldn't afford a ski! In his later years, he enjoyed weekly golf and tennis games with his many friends at Porters Neck Country Club. Jack also loved any opportunity to teach his children and grandchildren how things worked. He could build and fix about anything, and his friends and family affirm that his sharp mind continuously surprised them. At the same time, Jack was humble, selfless and loved a good laugh, usually at his own expense. His grandchildren knew him as Papa, and every summer, he and Evelyn (Mimi) created an environment of fun, adventure, and learning for their grandchildren, which came to be known as Camp Carpenter. He never missed a moment to teach his grandchildren to drive a boat, water ski, light a good fire, drive a tractor, bait a hook, fill the crab pot, or just appreciate all that nature provides. And he might be most famous for his perfectly grilled hot dogs that he served up, beachside, on his ancient, charcoal grill. Jack is survived by his wife of 53 years, Evelyn Davis Carpenter, and their three children, Julia Carpenter Sparkman (Palmer) of Darien, CT, John McMurray Carpenter IV (Mery) of São Paulo, Brazil, and Claire Carpenter Stratton (Bill) of Atlanta, GA. Also, he is survived by his sister, Lynne Carpenter Molton (Gene) of Hendersonville, N.C. He has nine grandchildren, Meg, Fernanda, Davis, and Sarah Carpenter, Jack and Henry Sparkman, and William, Crawford, and McMurray Stratton. He was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Milne Carpenter, and his father, John McMurray Carpenter Jr. and a great-granddaughter, Samantha Maria Carpenter. A memorial service will be held in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to Lower Cape Fear Hospice Care Center or the . Sign the guest book at Kinston.com