Dorothy Jean Carter

Dorothy Jean (Dottie) Carter died August 31, 2013. Born in Racine, Wisconsin, 1921, she is preceded in death by her husband, former Lt. James L. Carter, Jr.; their first child, Michael; parents, Fred and Clare Kousek; brothers, Glenn and Gordon.

In 1942 Dottie joined the WAAC (soon thereafter becoming permanent as the Women's Army Corp). As a member of that pioneering group, her bio and photo are featured at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington DC. During her military tenure Sgt. Carter taught radio code to pilots in ground school at George Field in Illinois, including her husband-to-be. They married in 1944 and are survived by their beloved children and spouses: Jean Carter, Catherine and Bill Haley, Margaret and John Millice, Fred and Deborah Carter, Thomas Carter, and Sally and Ken Burnham. The seven grandchildren she so enjoyed and their spouses are Ben and Melissa Millice, David and Sarah Millice, Katie and Kyle Schumacher, Brooke Haley, Sam and Katie Haley, Kristina and Jim Palmer, and Ashley Carter. The six great-grandchildren she was so thrilled to be able to experience are: Madden Millice, Parker Millice, Millie, Everett, and Hadley Schumacher, and Skye Palmer.

Her children feel she was the most wonderful mother in the world. She rocked them and sang old-fashioned songs to them. She comforted them with her special touch. She cooked and fed them lovingly. She inspired them to play creatively and just had fun with them. She tucked them into bed each night and helped them to pray. And when nightmares or whatever else makes kids unable to make it through the night and end up tugging on her covers, she generously let them slip into her bed and she often sought refuge in their bed as a trade. Best and worst of all, she loved each and every one totally and unconditionally and worried about them constantly while she let them develop independence and respected their lives and chosen paths.

Dottie also deeply cherished her time as a Girl Scout leader of three troops her kids were in over 25 years while her children attended St. Gregory the Great parish school. Later, after building their dream home across from the 9th green, Dottie and Jim and dear friends played golf as often as possible at Windcrest Golf Club and were also able to enjoy the world travel they always wanted.

Dottie lived for her family, but along the way she also loved and quietly and personally supported a number of elderly family friends through their last years. Some of her fondest times in later years were those spent with her husband and fellow "backbench" parishioners at 5pm Saturday mass at St. Anthony de Padua Church. A lifelong frustrated show business wannabe and humor enthusiast, Dottie's final request was to have "Break a leg!" etched on her tombstone.

The family would like to say a special thank you to the Vitas Methodist Inpatient Hospice Unit.

Visitation at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church will be held from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. on Friday, September 6, 2013.

ROSARY

FRIDAY

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013

12:00 P.M.

MASS TO FOLLOW

ST. ANTHONY DE PADUA CATHOLIC CHURCH

102 LORENZ

Graveside service will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels of San Antonio, Christian Senior Services, 4306 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78229 (www.christianseniorservices.org).