John Carpenter’s generosity and kindness inspired thousands of students and countless colleagues over decades in international education. We miss him but will honor his dedication to a more peaceful, just world on Monday, February 16 at 5:00 pm MT in the Dwan Light Sanctuary on the UWC-USA campus. Friends of John are welcome to join virtually. John asked two things at the end of his life for those who would remember him: first, just be kind to each other, especially to the stranger in need, and second, for those who would honor his work, to send donations to support scholarships at UWC-USA to continue his personal mission of providing a student-centered, humanities-focused education to students from around the world.
H. John Carpenter III
John Carpenter III (John) was born to Harold John Carpenter, Sr., and Dorothy Jean Carpenter in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 8, 1957. As a young man, John was very active in faith-based groups, and his experience in the Christian faith informed his practice in the world for the rest of his life. Although he was born in Missouri, he lived as a citizen of the world, learning and teaching in numerous international schools. For John, serving through education was a calling to uplift others and to improve the world one student at a time. It was also an environment in which his curiosity, joy and humor could express themselves in community.
John received his undergraduate degree in English magna cum laude from George Fox University and his master’s degree in Education from Portland State University. John began his career as an English and Spanish teacher in Newburg, Oregon, in 1979. Eager to see the world, John took jobs teaching overseas, first in Paraguay at The American School of Asunción and later at The Koç School in Istanbul, Turkey; The International School Nido de Aguilas in Chile; and The American School in London. In 1999, he returned to the United States as a college counselor at Clayton High School in St Louis, Missouri, to be closer to his parents, who were in failing health. John would travel abroad again to serve as the Director of College Counseling at Munich International School in Germany. He returned to St. Louis to be the Director of College Counseling at MICDS and then joined a private firm that focused on counseling and guiding Chinese students interested in studying in the United States. During this time, John wrote a guide on college admissions, which was published as Going Geek: The Really Smart Kid’s Guide to College Admissions. Having his work published was a source of personal and professional pride for John. Longing to return to work with students daily, John entered the United World College family in Costa Rica in 2011 as Director of Admissions and College Counseling. In 2018, he joined the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West (UWC-USA) in Montezuma, New Mexico as Director of Admissions, where he continued to work as he battled leukemia. In addition to the many hours John dedicated to his career he gave countless hours volunteering on committees to support students and build capacity for volunteer organizations focused on the education of young people.
Throughout John’s career, he was dedicated to improving the world personally by being kind, and professionally by seeking out opportunities for students to improve their lives through education. Students commented that they loved his sense of humor, his vision for them when they could not see potential in themselves, and his love for teaching English. The stories of lives that John changed, both in his students and among his fellow educators, are numerous. Colleagues from across his long career and friends from around the world reached out to John during his battle with leukemia, sharing with him how deeply he had touched their lives and encouraging him forward.
John’s love of life and his passion for travel influenced many to see the world as interconnected and to see its citizens as brothers and sisters. John was devoted to many people in this life, including many friends, but most of all to his mother, Dorothy, for whom he was the primary caregiver until he himself was hospitalized. His mother preceded him in death by just four weeks. His care for her was loving and selfless, even when he flagged.
John asked two things at the end of his life for those who would remember him: first, just be kind to each other, especially to the stranger in need, and second, for those who would honor his work, to send donations to support scholarships at UWC-USA to continue his personal mission of providing a student-centered, humanities-focused education to students from around the world. While John and his infectious smile, sharp wit, and generous heart will be greatly missed, he will be fondly remembered by all who knew him and especially by those whose lives were better for having known him.
John is survived by his sister, Cindy Burton, of Kansas City, Missouri; and by his nieces, Sabrina Martinez, Skylah Ballard, and Aubrie Owens; and by many grandnieces and grandnephews. He is also survived by the many students he impacted, dear friends and neighbors, and close colleagues too numerous to name.