Obituary for Ben H. Carpenter, Dallas County, Texas

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Submitted by: Eric Wood <>
        Date: 11 Mar 2014
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[5 Mar 2006 - Dallas Morning News]

Ben Carpenter
CARPENTER, BEN H.

Pioneering Dallas real estate developer, died peacefully at his home on Friday
morning, March 3. He was 82. When Ben Carpenter went to war in 1942, he put dirt
from his father's ranch in between the soles of his boots so that he would
always be walking on Texas soil no matter where he was in the world. That dogged
loyalty to his state, his family and his own convictions would continue to
define his life and career. Benjamin Howard Gardner Carpenter was born to native
Texans, John William Carpenter and Flossie Belle Gardner in a still standing
house on Lexington Avenue in the Town of Highland Park, Texas on March 10, 1924.
Like his father, Ben Carpenter was a visionary and a civic leader. During his
lifetime he was influential in the relocation of numerous companies to the
Dallas area, including the world headquarters of Exxon Corporation, GTE,
Kimberly-Clark, Associates Investment Corporation, and Caltex Petroleum. He is
best known as the creator, principal planner and developer of the 12,000 acre
Las Colinas multiple use real estate development in northwestern Dallas County.
In 1985, Carpenter received the Urban Land Institute's top Award of Excellence
for the planning and development of Las Colinas, recognized as "the best large
scale real estate development in the country" and which stated that "the project
epitomizes excellence in development through superior management, an innovative
approach, and adherence to continuing high standards." He graduated with honors
from Highland Park High School in 1941 which recognized him in 1993 with a
Distinguished Alumnus Award. Carpenter interrupted his education at age 18 for
several years volunteering for services in the United States Army. After the
war, Carpenter returned to the University of Texas graduating in 1948. The
School of Business Administration named Carpenter an Outstanding Alumnus in
1967. In 1948, he married Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Dupree who remained the love of
his life for fifty-eight years. During his lifetime Ben Carpenter was involved
in a variety of business activities, primarily in the ranching, real estate, and
insurance industries. He was also involved in a wide range of civic and public
service endeavors. Carpenter had always been an innovative builder. In 1959,
long before the Las Colinas development commenced, he oversaw the construction
of the Southland Center building in downtown Dallas which at the time was the
tallest building west of the Mississippi. He conceived of and commissioned Rob
Glen to create the Mustangs of Las Colinas, a monumental equestrian sculpture at
Williams Square in Las Colinas. In 1988, the National Sculpture Society
presented Carpenter with a special medal for the project, citing the close
collaboration of developer, architect, and sculptor. The Trinity River was
another lifelong concern for Ben Carpenter. When the Trinity River Authority was
created by the Texas Legislature in 1955, Carpenter was named its first
president. He served on its Board of Directors for eighteen years. Under his
leadership the Authority constructed numerous water reservoirs, water supply
projects, flood control projects, and pollution control projects. Carpenter
loved Texas and loved ranching, operating horse and cattle ranches over a period
of fifty years in numerous Texas counties. He served as President of the Texas
and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, as Vice President of the American
National Cattleman's Association, and as President of the American Brahman
Breeders Association. He was a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the
State Fair of Texas and served for several years as Chairman of its Livestock
and Agriculture Committee. Carpenter also served as Chairman of the Livestock
Sanitary Commission, a state government regulatory agency that preceded the
Texas Animal Health Commission. He organized and led several Livestock Marketing
Teams to Central and South American countries for the Foreign Agricultural
Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Carpenter's love for horses led
him to join the cavalry, entering as a private but later commissioned at age
nineteen as the youngest officer by The Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas in
its history. His officer class was the last to be graduated as Horse Officers;
he served in the 29th Cavalry at Camp Funston, Kansas as well as the Army's last
active horse mounted cavalry regiment, the 124th, stationed for border patrol
duty at Fort Brown, Texas. Carpenter went overseas during World War II with the
124th Cavalry, which was reorganized and retrained as a long range penetration
mountain infantry unit in India, later becoming part of the Mars Task Force
operating behind Japanese lines in northern Burma. He served in two campaigns in
Burma as a combat platoon leader and was decorated with the Silver Star medal
for bravery and leadership. Following the Burma campaigns Carpenter was
transferred to the Chinese Combat Command, an American unit attached to the
Third Army Group of the Chinese Nationalist Army. He served as Aide de Camp to
the commanding general of this unit during two campaigns in western China. When
the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, Carpenter was part of an advance
American Chinese group sent to Shanghai to negotiate the details of the
surrender of the Japanese forces on the mainland of China and received a special
citation for his service to the Chinese Combat Command. Carpenter was active in
the life insurance industry from 1948 until 1984, during which time he served as
Chairman of the Board and CEO of Southland Life Insurance Company and Nathan
Hale Life Insurance Company. In 1955, Carpenter was named one of the Five
Outstanding Young Men in Texas by the Texas Junior Chamber of Commerce and in
1958 he received the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding community
service by the Dallas Junior Chamber of Commerce. In 1980, he received a
Citation of Honor from the American Institute of Architects in recognition of
his services in the promotion of better design of the community. In 1981, he was
given the Construction Industry Leadership Award by the Association of General
Contractors and received in 1983 the National Brotherhood and Humanitarian Award
by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Community
Beautification Award by Texas Woman's University. He was given the Distinguished
Salesperson of Dallas Award by the Sales and Marketing Executives of Dallas and
in 1984 the Dallas Civic Garden Center presented him with its prestigious Flora
Award. In addition, Carpenter served on the board of directors of numerous
corporations including the Kroger Company, Texas Power and Light, National
Finance Credit Corporation, GTE Southwest, and Republic National Bank. He also
served on the board of directors of many community organizations including the
Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas Citizens Council, Childrens'
Medical Center of Dallas, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, YMCA of Metropolitan
Dallas, Trinity Improvement Association, Southwestern Legal Foundation, Texas
Research Foundation, and Texas Water Conservation Association. Over the years he
served as a Deacon, an Elder, and a Trustee in the Highland Park Presbyterian
Church and was an Elder Emeritus in the Park Cities Presbyterian Church.
Carpenter was preceded in death by his beloved brother, John. He is survived by
his loving wife of 58 years, Betty Dupree Carpenter; his sister, Carolyn
Carpenter Williams of Dallas; five children: a son, John W. Carpenter III of
Dallas; four daughters, Laura Carpenter of Austin; Elizabeth Carpenter Frater of
Dallas; Barbara Carpenter Kendrick of Dallas; Ellen Carpenter Pace of Austin;
and nine grandchildren: Benjamin Carpenter II, Austin Carpenter, Bonner
Carpenter, Ryan Frater, Spencer Kendrick, Will Kendrick, Katie Pace, Annie Pace,
and Virginia Pace. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Ben and
Betty Carpenter Fund for Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, TX. A Family Graveside
Service will on Tuesday morning in Corsicana, Texas. Memorial Services are 3:00
p.m. Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at Highland Park Presbyterian Church with Rev.
Joseph F. Ryan and Rev. Sherwood M. Strodel officiating. , Dignity Memorial
Sparkman Hillcrest 7405 W. Northwest Hwy. Dallas (214) 363-5401