Jackson Henry Carpenter, Jr.

Jackson Henry Carpenter Jr., 73, of Houston, Ark., went to be with his Lord on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at his home, after a brief battle with cancer. He was born November 27, 1945, and was the firstborn son of Jack Carpenter Sr. and Corene Choate Carpenter. His parents made their home in Hamburg, Ark., and raised Jack and his siblings in a Christian home. Even as a small boy, Jack loved the outdoors. He was a true outdoorsman. He and his friends spent their springtime calling turkeys, their summers swimming and camping along the Saline River, their fall trailing "whitetails," and their winters with their dogs chasing coons. Their joy was not in the final trophy but in the pursuit, though a little venison was hard to beat. He attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello where he majored in physical education and biology. He coached and taught in several school districts including Smackover, Eudora, Benton, Harrison and Jasper, Ark. In 1980, Jack and Camille returned to Hamburg and joined the family business, Carpenter's Fine Furniture, on the square in Hamburg. In 2001, Jack and Camille fulfilled their lifelong dream of living in the mountains. They established Mountain Springs Cabins at Compton near the Buffalo National River in 2002 and managed the business for the next 15 years. Jack and Camille retired on Harris Brake in Houston, Ark., where the fish were biting and the view relaxing. Jack was a member of Perryville First Baptist Church and a former member of the First Baptist Church of Hamburg. He embraced his church family and enjoyed doing the Lord's work as a deacon whether it was working on building projects with his fellow church members or providing crappie for a church fish fry. Jack is preceded in death by his parents, Jackson Henry Sr. and Corene Choate Carpenter; his mother-in-law, Evelyn Smith; a brother-in-law, Johnny Smith; a sister-in-law, Karen Smith, and a nephew, William Smith. He is survived by his wife, Camille Smith Carpenter of Houston, Arkansas; a son, Jackson Henry Carpenter III, and a grandson, Jackson Henry IV both of Little Rock; his brother, Ben Choate Carpenter and wife, Debbie; his sister, Lisa Carpenter Atkins and husband, Jim, all of Hamburg; a sister-in-law, Belle Smith of Hattiesburg, Miss.; two nieces, Lori Carpenter Davidson and husband, Paul, of Dallas, Texas and Allyson Tullos and husband, Steven, of Lake Village; four nephews, John Smith and wife, Tara, of Monticello, Benjamin Carpenter and wife, Erin, of Lonoke, Jonathan Snow Carpenter and wife, Kimberly, of Wylie, Texas and James R. Atkins, M.D. and wife, Natalie, of Monticello, as well as a host of dear cousins. A celebration of life service will be 2 p.m., Monday, September 24, 2019, in the First Baptist Church of Hamburg with Rev. Jimmy Wallace and Rev. Jason Campbell officiating. Burial will be at the Hamburg Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jonathan Carpenter, Benjamin Carpenter, Sonny Holland, Jim Atkins, Dr. Justin Atkins and Robert Allen Carpenter. Honorary pallbearers are the Deacons and the Bill Rudkin Sunday School Class of Perryville First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Building Fund of Perryville First Baptist Church, 207 Fourth Street Perryville, Ark., 72126. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Jones-Hartshorn Funeral Home of Hamburg, Ark. Online guestbook, www.jones-hartshorn.com. Visitation will be 1-2 p.m., Monday at the church.