Charlie Carpenter Family love keeps letter alive

The worth of a nation is found in the strength of its families.

Years ago, Cora Carpenter, from Charleston, Ill., instilled this feeling to her eight children: Care about each other. Sharing was important throughout her 91 years of good and bad times.

Her son Billie Carpenter founded and edited The Carpenter News from September 1993 to February 2000. On her death, the "torch" was passed to Charlie Carpenter starting with the March 2000 edition.

The monthly newsletter from family and friends tells of happy times (births, weddings, graduations) and hurtful times (illness, deaths, job loss, etc.)

If every family held this chain of love for each other, comforting the hurting and acknowledging goodness among us, then Cora Carpenter's legacy would be multiplied.

We met neighbor Charlie in 1980 through walking our dogs. He is a retired teacher from Waukegan High School and presently freelances, editing math supplements.

He mails 150 copies of the newsletter; in 2006 he began a quarterly newsletter for his Charleston High School Class of 1961; 200 copies.

We're amazed at Charlie's concern to keep family and friends informed. We take pleasure in introducing him to you and your readers.

March's The Carpenter News included a report on his attending the wake and funeral of Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis, and of his great-nephew, Major Andrew Rice's video teleconference from Iraq with family.

Submitted by Fran and Wayne Van Dyke