Willis Carpenter told many stories over the years and typed up a few. Some were told to his partner, Barbara Shecter, in the months before his death and she very generously typed them up for our family. The Oxen Story was written several years ago and was part of an exhibit that included the Ox Yoke at the Steamboat Arts Center. The essay on the Flat Tops was recently found. It had been inserted into a letter from Willis’s mother, Eunice Pleasant Carpenter, to his sister, Roz, while she was in college and WVC was at East High School.
Many more stories in their latest version (from Barbara S.)
WVC East High School Paper on Flattops 1945
Willis Carpenter was also musician – he played the guitar, the 12-string guitar and the mandolin. He said he never learned to play the piano. He and his siblings collected many songs and loved to sing together. WVC wrote down the words to his favorites in several very small (3×5″?) black notebooks. After much persuasion, those were typed up and became the Carpenter family songbook.
At the Carpenter Ranch, May 1959: Left to Right top row – Ferry Carpenter, Ruth Carpenter Woodley, Willis V. Carpenter, Hugh Zars (on lap), Peter Zars. Bottom Row L-R: Reed Zars, Roz Carpenter Zars, Belle Zars.