BROCKTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Hundreds of people in Brockton paid their final respects Friday at a funeral service for Mayor Bill Carpenter, who died suddenly at the age of 62 earlier this month.
Following Thursday evening’s wake, mourners filled the auditorium at Brockton High School Friday morning for the funeral service.
Carpenter’s friend Bob Buckley spoke at the service saying, “Bill Carpenter took his job seriously. He took the issues before him seriously, but he never took himself seriously. He had an amazing sense of humor and timing comedians would die for.”
Carpenter’s friends are remembering him for his enthusiasm, leadership, work ethic, and his laugh.
Chief of Staff Nick Giaquinto also spoke at the service and said, “he was the perfect combination of skill and personality to achieve many great things for Brockton.”
The three-term mayor was found unresponsive in a vehicle parked at the Arnone School around 7:30 a.m. on July 3, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz said.
He was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Carpenter first won a seat on the school committee when his son became addicted to drugs. He went on to be a mayor focused on battling the opioid crisis.
He was planning on running for a fourth term.
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is working to determine an exact cause and manner of death.
Foul play is not suspected.
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