Anna Marie Carter

Anna Marie Carter, 106, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was born June 6, 1919, in Ames, Iowa, and passed away on February 27, 2026. Anna Marie was tenacious yet kind-hearted, and she will be remembered with deep respect and enduring affection by those who knew and loved her.

Anna Marie was the daughter of Caroline Cristoffa Tweed Uhl and Edward George Uhl. She was born in a house on the Iowa State College campus, and grew up in Ames, Iowa. She later attended Iowa State College. While in school, Anna Marie found her personal passion for dancing, and met many touring musicians as they came to perform on campus.

On February 19, 1943, Anna Marie married Donald Paul Carter in the Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames, Iowa. Together, they raised one daughter, Judy Lee. In 1975, the family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where Anna Marie made her home and community for many years. Anna Marie and Don spent 68 years together, before Don went ahead to prepare their next home in Heaven.

In her working life, Anna Marie served as an assistant manager at the US Commissary. She was also a proud homemaker and the devoted mother of one daughter. Perhaps her favorite job, although brief, was working in the printing room at Iowa State, where she could 'preview' exams ahead of time.

Over the years, she lived all over the world, embracing each season of life with quiet strength and steadfast grace. Her travels with her husband carried her throughout the United States- starting in Iowa, in Ames, and then throughout Humboldt, Davis, Wayne, and Plymouth counties, and beyond, to Rockford, Illinois, Washington, DC, and eventually Fort Collins, Colorado; as well as across the world- Burma, Thailand, Guyana, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Nigeria all hosted the Carter family at one time. No matter where they landed, Anna Marie was able to make each place feel like home for her family- from houses on stilts to more modern apartments, she filled rooms with love. Even miles and miles across the globe from home, she remained a quiet exemplar of the American spirit, representing the best of her home through her integrity, her generosity, and her genuine interest in the lives of others.

Anna Marie was a member of 1st Presbyterian Church beginning in 1975. Her faith and service reflected the steady compassion that defined her life. Some of her favorite hobbies- reading, history, and genealogy- reflect her boundless curiosity and devotion to family. The ultimate entertainer, her agility and grace defined her personality, and friends can remember her pulling handstands well into her 60s.

Anna Marie was preceded in death by her husband Don in 2011, as well as parents; her brothers George, Glenn, Edward, and Kenneth; her sisters Mildred Fauerby and Edith Webb. She is survived by her daughter, Judy Lee Banwart; her granddaughter, Tamara (Tim); and her grandson, Edward. Anna Marie is also survived by her three beautiful grandchildren: Friedrich, Alden, and Althea.

An uplifting memorial to celebrate the legacy Anna Marie leaves with all of us will be held at Harmony Presbyterian on Saturday, March 28, 20267 at 2:00pm. Burial will take place at a later date at Ames Municipal Cemetery, where Anna Marie will be laid to rest with her husband.