▁and ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁bank ▁executive ▁in ▁Franklin ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement . ▁ ▁Car p enter ▁married ▁twice . ▁His ▁first ▁wife , ▁Ruth , ▁died ▁of ▁cancer ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁Car p enter ▁then ▁married ▁T . ▁Helen ▁Edwards ▁Bry ant ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁He ▁had ▁eight ▁children ▁with ▁his ▁first ▁wife . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁father - in - law ▁of ▁former ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Represent ative ▁Mar ge ▁Car p enter ▁( R ). ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Franklin ▁Rot ary ▁Club ▁for ▁ 5 0 ▁years . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁After ▁Car p enter ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁county ▁commission ers ▁un anim ously ▁approved ▁a ▁resolution ▁T ues day , ▁March ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁to ▁memor ialize ▁his ▁life , ▁with ▁the ▁county ' s ▁community ▁building ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁Georgia ▁Road ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Robert ▁C . ▁Car p enter ▁Community ▁Fac ilities ▁Building . ▁Car p enter ' s ▁wife ▁attended ▁the ▁meeting ▁and ▁was ▁herself ▁recognized ▁for ▁her ▁service ▁to ▁the ▁community . ▁ ▁Car p enter ▁worked ▁in ▁politics ▁for ▁much ▁of ▁his ▁life , ▁working ▁on ▁the ▁local ▁level ▁as ▁a ▁county ▁commission er , ▁and ▁on ▁a ▁national ▁level ▁during ▁eight ▁terms ▁as ▁a ▁North ▁Carolina ▁State ▁Senator . ▁He