From The Olio
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Deceased February 11, 2015
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In Memory
From Amherst Magazine ---
We lost a remarkable classmate, Chris Carpenter, on Feb. 11, 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland, after his long and brave struggle with cancer. Chris was born in California, but his father was in the diplomatic corps and moved the family to Beijing when he was only 6. He received his early schooling in Beijing. Chris then spent three years at a boarding school in Normandy, but in 1949, after the Chinese revolution, returned to California, where he attended the highly competitive Thatcher School. He entered with our class in fall 1958 and quickly made a mark. A political science major, he was a member of Phi Delt and manager of the basketball team.
Following graduation, Chris served in the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier Coral Sea, following which he received his master’s degree in the School of Asian Studies at Berkeley. In 1971 he began a 30-year career with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, headquartered in Geneva. He served in Zaire, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Somalia, Tokyo, Hanoi and Moscow. On retiring in 2000, he founded a nonprofit to provide small-scale infrastructure projects in rural Vietnamese communities.
Chris was particularly close with his sister Didi, and he spent many holidays sailing the coast of Italy with her and her family. He returned several times to California to visit his relatives and friends there. During his prolonged illness, Didi and her family lovingly supported and cared for him.
Chris did not make it to our 50th reunion and, unfortunately, did not describe his amazing life journey in our reunion book. His family recalls his easy charm and sense of humor and his lifelong commitment to those in need. He will be missed by all who knew and were influenced by him.
Larry Beck ’62