Chuck Carpenter grew up fascinated with snakes and lizards and with a desire to become a naturalist. Recently, in his modest way, he confessed that he wondered whether he made it. His numerous students, colleagues, and awards can certainly testify that he made it many times over! Chuck is now Professor Emeritus of the Department of Zoology and Curator Emeritus of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma.
Charles Congden Carpenter was born on 2 June 1921, in Denison, Iowa. Family lore has it that at the time of his birth a Baltimore oriole was singing in the backyard, although apparently the bird's song was not loud enough to attract Chuck to the study of birds rather than lizards and snakes. Chuck's parents were Harry Alonzo Carpenter and Myrtle Barber Carpenter. Myrtle Barber was a playwright and a poet who...