Donald Ray Carter, 71, of Bluefield, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton, West Virginia.
Born on May 23, 1946 in Kimbalton, Virginia, he was the son of the late Cleveland Carter and Pansy Lucas Carter, and the foster son of the late Willie Manning and Thelma Lucas Manning, all of Goldbond, Virginia.
Don was a 1964 graduate of Giles High School and a graduate of West Virginia Business College. He was a Veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard where he served 20 years, attaining the rank of Sgt. with the 150th Armored Cavalry Unit Brushfork, West Virginia. He worked over 30 years for Fairmont Supply Company in Bluefield, West Virginia where he retired in 2006.
Don, also known by his family as “Bob”, enjoyed gardening, flea marketing, and collecting. He was involved in a number of community and civic causes, and especially devoted to his Wednesday night group which he attended faithfully for nearly 25 years.
In addition to his parents and foster parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers: Walter (Sonny) Carter and Weldon (Johnny) Carter.
He leaves to cherish his memory: sons, Matt Carter of Auburn, Alabama and Mark Carter of Bluefield, West Virginia; granddaughter Hannah Carter of Bluefield, Virginia; his friend and companion of many years Zona Meskinish, her children, and grandchildren; brother William (Buddy) Carter and his wife, Anne Marie, of Hereford, Pennsylvania; sister Eula Mae Williams of Pembroke, Virginia; sister Theida Darnell and her husband, Garnett, of Ripplemead, Virginia; and sister Nona Gail Oakes and husband, John, of Ripplemead, Virginia.
The family would also like to thank W.D. and Nancy Gillenwater, Don’s good friends and neighbors, for their friendship and support, especially in recent years.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at Cravens-Shires Funeral Home in Bluewell, West Virginia with Pastor Terry Easter officiating. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Bluewell.
The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Monday evening, May 21, 2018 at Cravens-Shires Funeral Home.