Dr. John Mark Carpenter

Born October 16, 1929 in Toccoa, Ga and born again August 1942 at Liberty Hill  Baptist Church in Eastanollee, Ga, Dr. John Mark Carpenter peacefully went to be  with the Lord on Wednesday January 19, 2022 at the age of 92.  

He married his wife, Betty Sue (Hawkins) Carpenter from Gainesville in 1949 and  this summer they would be celebrating their 73rd wedding anniversary. He leaves  behind his beloved five children including Mark and his wife Marti Carpenter,  Nancy and her husband Tommy Hulsey, Kim and her husband Steve Abrams,  Barbara and her husband Jeff Clement and Chris and his wife Janice Carpenter in  addition to their 16 grandchildren and their 9 spouses, 22 great-grandchildren and 1  great-great-grandson. John Mark is predeceased by his parents Oscar Carpenter  and Lina Burgess Carpenter along with his four siblings and survived by his sister in-law Joanne Hawkins of Gainesville.  

John Mark devoted his life to serving his Heavenly Father, his family, community  and the many churches he had the honor of working with. After graduating from  Mercer University in 1950 he served as pastor at Ellaville Baptist Church, First  Baptist Church, Hogansville, Ga, First Baptist Church, Sylvania, Ga and Oakland  Baptist Church, Oakland, KY. After graduating from seminary, he and Betty were  then appointed to serve as missionaries in Liberia, West Africa where they spent  seventy-six cumulative years serving alongside each other. Beginning their journey  in Sinoe County, Liberia, John Mark began as church planter and director of pastor  training. While they were on medical leave from Africa, he served as pastor of  LaBelle Heights Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia. After five years away, they  were re-appointed to Liberia where he developed the Theological Education  Extension program in conjunction with the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary  in Monrovia, Liberia. While simultaneously serving as church planter for the  greater Monrovia area, President of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary and  establishing twenty-five new churches. Since retirement from the Southern Baptist  International Mission Board, he served as interim pastor/pastor at Sardis Rayle,  Ga, First Baptist Washington, Ga, and Hoschton First Baptist Church and  continued to be involved with his home church First Baptist Church in Gainesville,  Ga.  

Visitation will be held Friday, January 28th from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Ward’s Funeral  Home, Gainesville & again Saturday January 29th from 12:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Parlor. The memorial service will be held at Gainesville First Baptist Church on January  29th at 2:00pm. Rev. Jeremy Shoulta, Rev. Bill Rorie and Dr. Olu Menjay will be  officiating.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Liberian Mission Front at First Baptist  Church 751 Green St. N.W. Gainesville, Ga 770-534-7354.

Please share online condolences with the family at www.wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Dr. John Mark Carpenter.

Ward’s Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gainesville. “A Family Funeral Home”