Larry Gene Carpenter was born to Robert Seth Carpenter and Jewel Lucille Grantham on April 8, 1936.  He was raised in the Echo community in south Alabama and attended Carroll High School in Ozark and Dothan High School where he met Zona, his future wife.

In his youth, Gene worked a variety of jobs as well as helped on the farm before finding his future career in the grocery business in Dothan.  Over the next few years, his knowledge and management skills led to increasingly responsible positions.

On August 25, 1957, Gene married Zona Gayle Pigge at Grandview Baptist Church, Dothan, Alabama. That year, he became a store manager at 21 years old.  The Carpenters lived in Albany, Georgia; Montgomery, Alabama; and Columbus, Georgia as Gene progressed from store manager to district manager.  They lived in Columbus for over 40 years and chose to retire here.  At the time of his retirement from Winn Dixie, Gene was district manager to all the stores in the Columbus area.  He served as a consultant to private grocers after retirement from Winn Dixie. 

Gene thoroughly enjoyed his time in the grocery business and particularly like to mentor store employees, several of whom followed him into management positions.  He was very outgoing and easily chatted and joked with those he came in contact with.  In recent years he was well known by the employees of Jack’s and Publix.  His cheerful smile will be missed by those at the bank and other businesses he regularly visited.

Gene is survived by his wife Zona; brother Gary Carpenter (Judy); sister Elaine Terry (Ted); and many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and -nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Larry Gene Carpenter Jr., and siblings Bobbie Sammarco, Bill Carpenter, Foy Carpenter, Elsie Phillips, and Linda Carpenter.

The family will receive visitors at McMullen Funeral Home beginning at 10am (EST) on Saturday, September 5th, followed by a funeral service at 11am (EST). Burial will follow at 2pm (CST) at the Dothan City Cemetery, Dothan, Alabama.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Animal Ark Rescue.