A tribute to one ahead of his time on community sailing but who never lost the dream
By John Manard
January 28, 2025
Albert “Chip” Edward Carpenter, Jr. passed away after a short illness on Friday, January 24, 2025 while surrounded by his family. He was 82.
The sad but much appreciated words, “in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Community Sailing New Orleans,” never fail to bring a sense of gratitude, responsibility, and things to come, good deeds made possible. But, at least for me, the added words “in Chip’s memory” brought an immediate tear and flood of memories.
Most of us in one way or another stand on the shoulders of others. Sailing and all of the skills, life lessons, and opportunities it can bring improves lives. Community sailing opens those doors to all. Chip Carpenter’s big heart was decades ahead of what has now arisen in the southeast corner of the harbor.
In 1988 Chip, Dr. Cliff Dummett (1944-2006), an avid sailor and the first African American member of New Orleans Yacht Club, civic leader Edgar Lawrence “Dooky” Chase III (1949-2024), who kicked off a life of improving the community as part of the first integrated class at Jesuit High School and its first African American Class President, and sailor Ross Dierdorff created Sail Louisiana, a community sailing program sailing out of Pontchartrain Beach. It embraced minority kids, welcomed all, and opened doors previously closed. Mamsie and I remember his enthusiasm and his kids sailing down to West End. It was an amazing and inspiring sight, though not at the time embraced by all; both Black and White kids sailing, smiling, laughing, and having a picnic lunch together before sailing back to Pontchartrain Beach.
While Sail Louisiana was not able to survive 37 years ago, the memory of a man standing up for what he knew to be right for the community was written in stone for many, certainly for me.
In earlier days for Community Sailing New Orleans, when it was still mainly mud and hope, I invited Chip to lunch, gave him a “tour” (read as we stood in the mud and pointed), and gave him a “briefing” (read as my recital of dreams that I am sure Chip soon realized might never end). I will always recall his smile, enthusiasm, and good ideas. After 30 years the flame of his dream clearly burned as brightly as ever. Chip donated routinely from back when donations were anything but routine. He was always there for us.
Chip’s generosity of spirit, care for spreading what he had to all in our community, strength of character, and guts in standing up for community sailing and the community it embraces and serves before its time has always loomed large to me as proof of what could be; his never losing the dream a treasured inspiration.
When you see sailors, you know in your heart would never have had a shot at it without community sailing, think not just of the present but remember Chip’s dream; thirty-seven years ago, he was dreaming for all of us and our dreams stand on the shoulders of his.