Robert Carpenter
d. January 8, 2016
Robert Johnson Carpenter died peacefully January 8, 2016 at Holy Cross Hospital, Germantown, MD following a brief illness. Mr. Carpenter was born July 31, 1930 in Washington, DC to the late Byron H. and Margaret (nee Johnson) Carpenter. He was a long time Glen Hills, Rockville, MD resident until he moved in 2008 to Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg.
In 1951, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland.
Following his service in the US Air Force at the Cambridge, MA Research Center, Mr. Carpenter worked at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Baltimore, MD. From 1955 to 1959 he did Radio Propagation Research for the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, CO. He continued with the NBS, now National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in Lab and Computer Instrumentation until his retirement in 1992. In 1988 he received the US Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Service.
Between 1960 and 1964 he designed and built hardware for WHFS 102.3, the first FM stereo broadcasting station in the DC area.
Since junior high days his interests and hobbies have centered on radio and later on computers. During his career and retirement he gave years of volunteer time to the Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). After retirement he continued his connection with NIST, though, as a volunteer.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Byron L. Carpenter; sister-in-law, Phyllis LM Carpenter; cousin, Frank G. Carpenter, and his wife, Angela B. Carpenter; and cousin, Harriet S. Carpenter.
Mr. Carpenter is survived by many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great great-nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held 7 p.m. Saturday, January 30, 2016 at The Guild Memorial Chapel, Asbury Methodist Village, 211 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD.
Memorials in Mr. Carpenter's honor may be made to the Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League, or to benefit science or engineering education for youth.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Stauffer Funeral Home and Stauffer Crematory, Inc. Expressions of sympathy may be made to www.staufferfuneralhome.com .
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