Nathan Harry Carpenter

Nathan Harry Carpenter, III went through life by his middle name, Harry. He was generally known professionally as N. Harry Carpenter, MD. Harry was born in Winchester, VA, where his father managed a paper mill, the Shenandoah Paper and Boxboard Company, a company that was owned by Harry's grandfather. In 1935 the family relocated to Coshocton, OH so his father could manage a new paper mill, Muskingum Fiber Products (later became the St. Regis paper mill). Harry grew-up in Coshocton at 223 S. Fourth Street, just a few blocks south of Main Street. That home is now gone, as the property serves as a parking lot for a dental office today. For high school, Harry graduated from the private prep school Mercersburg Academy, located in Mercersburg, PA. Harry attended Cornell University School of Engineering before entering the Army in 1945, where he served in Japan and Korea at the rank of corporal. After honorable discharge, he returned to Coshocton to work at his grandfather's paper mill as plant superintendent. Harry married Joan J. Godown on March 6, 1948 at Russell, KY. He would eventually have 5 children from that marriage; Margaret, Nathan, Robert, Martha, and Carol. In 1953 Harry left his position at the paper mill to return to college. Over the next 7 years he finished college and medical school at The Ohio State University, then served his internship at Mount Carmel Hospital, Columbus, OH. In 1960 he returned to Coshocton to open a private practice with one of his medical school classmates, Walter Campbell. Harry built a new office building for his practice at 713 Main Street. In 1967 Harry relocated to Fort Lauderdale, divorcing Joan. He open a private medical practice and eventually married Elizabeth Beach-Johnston, who was his friend since childhood. Harry specialized in internal medicine at his office located at 906 NE 26th Avenue, just a block east of the Galleria Mall. Being a licensed pilot and aviation enthusiast, Harry also served in the Air Force reserves at the rank of lieutenant colonel to provide medical services at Homestead Air Force Base. Harry gave up his private practice in 2001, but took a position as staff physician at South Florida Center for H.O.P.E., a hyperbaric medicine clinic in Deerfield Beach, where he practiced medicine until his death. Harry was 79 years old. Harry's remains were cremated and placed in a columbarium crypt along with the cremains of his second wife, Elizabeth.