Dickie (Dick) Carver age 74 was called to his Heavenly home on March 20, 2023, after a long and courageous battle with heart failure. He was born July 8, 1948, in Quincy, Kentucky, to the late Charles and Virginia (Oney) Carver.
He left school at the age of 12 to work in the logwoods to help support his family. This commitment to hard work and taking care of others would become the focus of his entire life. He was a proud Army Veteran, serving during the Vietnam War. After the war, he moved to Bucyrus, Ohio, in search of work. It was while living in Bucyrus, he learned of a steel mill in Mansfield that was looking for workers. He applied and was quickly hired by Empire Detroit Steel, from where he retired in 2000. It was while working at the steel mill, that he met a young bar maid, Carolyn Kegley. Carolyn worked at her Uncle Tony’s bar during the busy lunch hours, which many of the steelworkers frequented. For Dick, it was love at first sight. Carol needed some convincing, but after their first date, they were inseparable. They were married August 15, 1977, and in total spent more than 50 years together.
Dick was a hard worker and provider. He often worked two jobs. He would finish his shift at the steel mill and then go to his garage to work on cars. He was an honest, skilled, and fair mechanic. People would come from all over to have him work on their vehicles. After his retirement from the steel mill, his sons joined him at Carver’s Auto Repair and worked alongside him. After his health would no longer allow him to work as a mechanic, he closed his business. He was a simple man and his garage was his favorite place to be. He would be in his garage every day. He would go there to pray and “piddle” around with all the treasures he had accumulated over the years. His garage door was always open, and most days, he would have visitors. Family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors would stop in to visit, ask a question, or just say hello.
Dick was a humble, kind, and generous man, always offering a helping hand to those in need. When he was called to do something, he was always a faithful servant of the Lord, giving money, food, clothing, or his time repairing a car. He would often load up his pickup truck with groceries he bought and delivered these to food pantries and the Friendly House. He loved traveling with his family, good food, Bluegrass music, and his Chevy pickup truck. Above all, he loved the Lord and his family with all his heart. He was the best husband, dad, papaw, uncle, and friend. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
He is preceded in death by his parents; son, Tommy Carver; three brothers, Kenneth, Jimmy, and Dean Carver; four sisters, Daphne Moore, Patricia Parsons, Joyce Carter, and Phyllis Ferris; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Haskell and Beatrice Kegley; sister-in-law, Shirley Hall; and brothers-in-law, Charles Hunt and Raymond Hardy.
Left to treasure in his memory are his wife, Carolyn Carver; sons, Dickie Jr (DJ) Carver (Ericka Carroll) and Shaun (Erin) Carver; daughters, Betty (Kevin) Bennett and Amber Carver (David Frontz); grandchildren, Christian, Devyn, Bryce, Matthew, Ciera, Shaun (Dakota), Keely, Peyton, Addisyn, Brylee, Jayden, Kylynn, Jaxson, Abel, and Kylee; one great-granddaughter, Emerie; special niece, Denise Hall and her children, Tyler, Carley, and Michael; brother, Randy (Linda) Carver; brothers-in-law, Dennie Hall Sr. and Charles (Joe) Kegley; sisters-in-law, Berniece Hardy, Wanda Hunt, Gail (Joe) Holmes, and Brenda (Bob) DeWeese; and many loving nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 12:00-2:00 p.m. on Monday, March 27, 2023, at Wappner Funeral Directors-Ontario, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. He will be laid to rest in Springmill Cemetery.
