ROCKLAND — Reverend Harold Winston Carpenter passed away on September 1, 2021, at Sedgewood Commons in Falmouth, Maine. He was 88 years old.

Harold was predeceased by his wife Wilma (Elliott) Carpenter in 2014, his daughter-in-law Judy Carpenter in 2020 and his son-in-law Richard Messana in 2020.

Born December 4, 1932, in New Castle Bridge, New Brunswick, Canada, he was the son of Reverend Harold Wellington and Evelyn (Hovey) Carpenter. Harold’s early childhood was spent on Grand Manan Island. His father’s ministry later took his family to Oromocto, NB and Centreville, NB. In 1944, Harold immigrated with his parents and sister to the United States, initially East Corinth, Maine and then to Houlton, Maine, in 1946.

Harold was a 1952 graduate of Houlton High School. Later in life, after being called to the Christian Ministry he studied with the Seminary Extension Education Division of the Southern Baptist Convention earning a diploma in Pastoral Ministry and later the Advanced Diploma in Pastoral Ministry.

On June 24, 1952, Harold married Wilma June Elliott of Littleton. They were married for 62 years. He worked at the A&P grocery store in Houlton and then in 1953 Harold was called up to serve with the U.S. Army. At Fort Gordon in Georgia, he completed basic training and was assigned to a Signal Corps school to be trained as a high-speed radio operator. He was later assigned to the 321st Signal Battalion with the VII US Army Corp at Moehringen near Stuttgart, West Germany. He was honorably discharged from active duty in 1955 with the rank of Corporal, and in 1961 was honorably discharged from the Army Reserves.

In September 1955, Harold was naturalized as a citizen of the United States of America. He returned to the A&P in Houlton, serving as store manager. From 1963-1976 he managed A&P grocery stores in Caribou, Houlton, Waterville and Augusta. Starting in 1955, he followed the Lord’s calling to be an active lay pastor, including serving as Interim Pastor in the late 1950s of the Hodgdon and Cary Baptist Churches and serving as Pastor of the Amity Baptist Church in 1960-1963, and again in 1966-1967, in addition to his career with the A&P.

In 1976, Harold resigned from the A&P and accepted the pastorate of the Owls Head Baptist Church where he served as Pastor from 1976-1987. In 1978, he was ordained by the American Baptist Churches of Maine. From 1987-1997 he served as Pastor of the Winter Street Baptist Church in Gardiner. Harold was a fourth-generation Baptist minister.

In 1998, Harold and Wilma retired to Rockland. In 2000, Harold was deeply honored to be named Pastor Emeritus of the Owls Head Baptist Church. During his retirement years he enjoyed a pulpit supply ministry, including serving as Interim Pastor in 2002 and again in 2004-2005 of the West Rockport Baptist Church. At his passing, Harold had preached in 60 plus different churches as both a pastor and a pulpit supply pastor, many of these churches he preached at several times.

Harold is survived by his three children: Valerie J. Messana of Gorham, Elliott R. Carpenter of Glastonbury, Connecticut and Chris D. Carpenter and his wife Mitzi of Suffolk, Virginia; his four grandchildren, David Messana and his wife Michelle of South Portland, Jonathan Messana and his wife Sarah of Portland, Kristin Ciampa and her husband David of Gorham, and Zachary Carpenter of Suffolk, Virginia; his six great- grandchildren, Samuel Messana, Madelyn Messana, Oscar Messana, Jude Messana, Lucy Ciampa and Evangeline Ciampa; his sister, Mary Evans and her husband Jim of Peoria, Illinois; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law John and Lucy Elliott of Fort Kent, his sister-in-law Ann Elliott of Houlton, as well as several nieces, nephews and extended family members in both the USA and Canada.

Friends and relatives are invited to visit Thursday, September 9, 2021, from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Owls Head Baptist Church, 37 South Shore Drive. A Celebration of Harold’s life will follow at 1 p.m. The Reverend Paul Munro will officiate. Facemasks will be required.

Interment will follow in Achorn Cemetery, Rockland. For those unable to attend in person, a live-stream of Rev. Carpenter’s service will be available on his book of memories at www.bchfh.com. Please follow the link under Photos & Videos Tab, then Watch Webcast.