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Merle “Bud” Carpenter, age 101, of Omro, died Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at Park View Health Center in Oshkosh. He was born on the family farm in the Rushford Township on December 13, 1920, to the late Arthur and Mabel (Flanigan) Carpenter. Bud graduated from Omro schools and was attending UW-Madison, where he was on the boxing team, until World War II started. He was proud to serve in the Army Air Corps, first in Akron, Ohio in 1942-43 building military aircraft, and from 1943-45 in New Guinea and the Philippines, becoming a decorated soldier earning among other things a Purple Heart and a Philippines Liberation Medal. In 2018 Bud and his son David went on the Old Glory Honor Flight, Mission 44. After the war Bud returned home and in 1947 bought the Carpenter family farm, dairy farming until 1986, and cash cropping until November 2021. On May 28, 1949, he married Florence M. Sundquist and she preceded him in death on July 15, 1985. In January of 1988 Bud married Florence “Flossie” Scott and she preceded him in death on August 16, 2011. He enjoyed music, playing the piano and dancing; gardening, playing dominoes, and in retirement, traveling.

Merle is survived by four sons, Mark (Jeanette) Carpenter, of Pine River; Steven (Christine) Carpenter, of Omro; Kurt (Maureen) Carpenter, of Columbia, Kentucky; David Carpenter, of Oshkosh; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; stepchildren, John (Dorothy) Scott, of New London; Joe Scott, of Ashwaubenon; Linda (John) Sarnowski, of Neenah; Sandy (Gary) Nelson, of Winneconne; a sister-in-law, Donna Rae; and other relatives and friends.

Along with his parents and two wives, Bud was also preceded in death by his siblings, Edith Holverson, Melvin Carpenter, Dorothy Schmidt, Irene Haedt, Eva Mae Coats, Arthur Carpenter, Neta Faye Spanbauer, George Carpenter, and Shirley Carpenter; and a stepson, Ken Scott.

A visitation for family and friends will be on Monday, February 7, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Mueller Funeral Home 904 E. Main St. Winneconne. Visitation will continue on Tuesday, February 8 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will be on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at the Rushford Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Park View Health Center, the Omro/Rushford First Responders, and all of the other caregivers who have helped keep Bud going over the last 10 years. 

If you wish please submit online condolences to muellerfh.net.