Frances C. Carter

Frances C. Carter, age 90. Wife of the late Charles H. Dear mother of Charles D (Peggy), Thomas J (Mary Ann), John H (Diane), James F (Pamela) and the late Robert E. Mother-in-law to Karen L. Carter. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Sister of John H (Dotty) McNamara and the late Margaret M and Harvey R Burr. Visitation will be Thursday 5-9:00PM, Friday 2-9:00PM, with a rosary at 7:00PM at Resurrection Funeral Home 40800 Hayes (S of 18 mi) and Saturday 9:30AM until time of mass 10:00AM at St. Paul of Tarsus Church 41300 Romeo Plank Rd. Clinton Township. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Capuchins, 1820 Mt. Elliott, Detroit, MI. 48207 would be appreciated.

If there was ever a person who wanted to heal all the wrongs in the world, it was Frances C. Carter. She was an idealist who sought to bring harmony to those around her. Even though Frances was enthusiastic and generous, it was sometimes difficult for her to boast about her accomplishments. Frances had strong personal convictions, making it hard for her to relinquish those ideals she held dearest to herself. Despite her outer strengths and beliefs, Frances sometimes struggled in her efforts to see the world as completely positive. Frances's life motto was always to hope for the best and work hard towards that end, but be prepared for some of life's disappointments. This philosophy was a continual driving force in her life, but it did not extinguish the bright light that defined the dreamer in Frances, something that was always there and that she readily shared with everyone around her.

Her parents were James P. and Margaret O. McNamara. Frances was raised in Detroit, Michigan. As a youngster, Frances demonstrated an excellent vocabulary and command of language. She was a compassionate person, a quality that she would carry with her throughout her life. Even at a young age, Frances was sensitive to her parents’ moods and worked hard to please them and live up to their expectations.

Throughout her life, Frances showed a remarkable ability to mend relationships. This was true even with her siblings. Frances was caring, diplomatic and tolerant of the feelings of those around her. Frances was raised with two siblings. She had sister, Margaret Mary, and one brother, John Henry. Frances was constantly involved in activities with her brothers and sisters. Frances and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As a young girl, Frances lived a childhood filled with fantasy. She was generally in pursuit of her own identity, but she was also adaptable to almost any situation she faced. In her spare time she liked to play the piano. However, to Frances, the most fun to be had was simply playing, and spending time with her many friends.

High school was a time for Frances to seek out knowledge. She enjoyed learning and had a natural interest in gathering information. Frances had a flair for the poetic and was very expressive and articulate, especially when it came to her writing. Frances took her education seriously. She graduated from Guardian Angel High School in 1939. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was math. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Sr. Mary Joseph. She was the class validictorian.

While those who did not know her well found Frances to be somewhat reserved until they got to know her, she was an authentic and devoted friend. Frances was a tranquil person, with an easygoing and open-minded attitude towards life. She presented a pleasant face to the outside world but concealed the pain and discomfort she felt over her own friends’ difficulties. Frances sought to achieve harmony with everyone and possessed the ability to mend conflicts and avoid interpersonal struggles. While growing up, some of her best friends were grandma Isabella Jones.

The desire for romance was always present in Frances's life. She succeeded in finding it on January 8, 1944, when Frances exchanged wedding vows with Charles Hamilton Carter at Army Air Base Chapel of Columbia, South Carolina. Frances cared passionately for Charles. Her deep loyalty and a strong commitment to her vows brought a sense of completeness to their marriage.

Frances was a gentle person who held deep feelings for her children. She enjoyed having fun with her kids and was at times fiercely protective of them. Frances showed great empathy in her willingness to give every family member a voice in family decisions. She was blessed with five children, five son's, Charles David, Thomas James, John Hamilton, James Francis, Robert Edward. They were also blessed with twelve grandchildren, Charles, Clair, Thomas, Jennifer, Stephanie, Ted, John, Stephen, Kimberly, Francine, Michael, Milan.

Blessed with a strong sense of integrity, Frances was as loyal and committed in her work as she was in the rest of her life. Frances worked well with fellow employees and showed great cooperation in reaching common goals. Though she had a tendency to take on too many tasks, herself; Frances showed great patience with complicated situations. She was ingenious and trusted her intuition. For Frances, the application of logic could be optional, and while that sometimes bothered her co-workers, Frances always seemed to be able to get the job done. She was most comfortable working on the projects and jobs that she strongly supported. Her primary occupation was a secretary. She was employed by Holy Cross Hospital. Frances always tried to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Frances enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were knitting and traveling. Frances was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but she was also willing to share her interests with others.

Frances's tremendous enthusiasm for the activities she enjoyed also influenced the pleasure she drew from sports. Frances also enjoyed watching sports and liked following her favorite teams whenever she got the chance to do so. Tops on her list was hockey.

Frances took all of her personal and moral obligations seriously. Frances was a strong defender of her faith. During that time, she was a member of St. Raymond for 35 years, and St. Paul of Tarsus for 23 years.

Frances enjoyed traveling and going away on vacations. Taking trips provided the chance for her to kick back and relax, to visit new places and see new things. Favorite vacations included trips to Ireland, England, and Autrailia.

Frances was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Frances's favorites was Sayso, a Boston Terrier.

Though Frances always appeared to be dreaming of greener pastures, she was accepting of retirement when it finally came in 1984. Long-range planning skills served her well in preparing for the “golden years.” Her new life involved relocating to Columbus, North Carolina. In retirement, she found new pleasure in basket weaving. Even in retirement, Frances continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered her.

Frances passed away on January 10, 2012 at Harbor Chase in Sterling Heights, Michigan. She passed away quietly of old age. Frances was laid to rest in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Frances C. Carter was someone who was able to see the world as a good and honorable place. She viewed the people who inhabited it as essentially good. A person who tended to see the world in terms of black and white, Frances tried to focus on the good she saw, knowing that there were times she would have to compromise. She was selfless and deeply committed to all things positive and good. Frances was a person who would keep her eye on tomorrow and constantly held onto her dreams. She was capable of being mystical at times, and she could be the seer or shaman of a group. It was this exceptional insight and quiet reserve that that became Frances's trademark qualities for all who knew her, and it was one of the many reasons why all who knew her loved Frances C. Carter.