A lifelong resident of Mustang, Oklahoma, Ray Carpenter developed a passion for dairy farming as a young boy. While attending Mustang Public Schools, he became a member of FFA and Oklahoma 4-H, a relationship that extended well beyond his education.
Following his graduation in 1951, Mr. Carpenter returned to the farm to make a mark of his own. The more engrained he became in the farm, the more he grew to love his work and wanted to share this passion with others.
He began offering tours of the dairy farm to elementary students, finding a particular joy in seeing these young students light up with knowledge as they learned about agriculture. In addition, he was a regular supporter of the Canadian County livestock shows, giving of his time and talents to help these students grow in their passion.
Following Mr. Carpenter's death in 2019, his wife established the Ray Carpenter Memorial FFA/4-H Scholarship at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to honor his passion and commitment to agriculture education through FFA and 4-H.