J. Harry Carpenter, supervisor of raw materials for the Bethlehem Steel Co. and for many years a prominent sports figure in the Lehigh Valley, died this morning January 30, 1952, at St. Luke's Hospital at the age of 72. He had been a medical patient since Monday.

Well known in sports circles as coach of the Lehigh University soccer team from 1920 - 1940, he was also vice president of the Wilbur Building and Loan Assn. He resided at 62 West Goepp St.

Born in West Bromwich, England, May 2, 1879, he came to the United States shortly after the turn of the century with an established reputation as a crack soccer and cricket player there.

He settled in Reading where he was employed in the textile industries until coming to Bethlehem in 1907 to work for the Bethlehem Steel Co.

He started with the firm as a weighmaster and went on to become chief weighmaster and eventually supervisor of raw materials for the local plant.

During his early days with the steel firm he became affiliated with the company's soccer team which gained wide renown for stars who played on it at one time or another. Carpenter was a goal tender on the first team.

In 1920 he took over the coaching job of the Lehigh University soccer team on a part-time basis, remaining at the helm until 1940. His best team was assembled in 1929 when Lehigh won six and lost four contests, a record not beaten until the past year.

During the years he also was the owner and manager of several semi-pro baseball teams in the Quakertown and Perkiomen Valley area. He wrote sports articles for the Bethlehem and Allentown newspapers during his early career. In the sports world he had been a professional member of the Philadelphia Cricket Club, a member of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Soccer Assn. and the Nation Soccer Coaches Assn.

Fraternally he was affiliated with the Bethlehem Steel Club, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Allentown, Woodmen of the World, and the Wanderers Club, both of Bethlehem.

He was a son of the late Jacob and Harriet Carpenter. His wife, the former Tressey May Tansley preceded him in death in February, 1951.

Survivors include two sons, John, Bloomsburg, and James, Cleveland, Ohio; a daughter Mrs. Harriet Boardman at home, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and several brothers and sisters in England.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Daniel B. Snyder Funeral Home, 527 Center St., with the Rev. Dr. A. A. Welsh pastor of Christ Evangelical and Reformed Church officiating. Burial will be in Nisky Hill Cemetery.

Special thanks to Bobi Fejes for providing the text of this obituary.