Dr. Frank H. Carter

Dr. Frank H. Carter, 87, of Sawmill Drive, Swanzey, a well-known and much-loved family physician in the Monadnock Region, died June 2, 2012, at his home surrounded by his loving family after a brief illness.

He was born in Lynn, Mass., Sept. 23, 1924, son of John and Rhena (Tomlin) Carter. He graduated from Malden (Mass.) High School and received a bachelor of science degree from Tufts University in 1947.

He received his MD from Tufts Medical School in 1951. Dr. Carter was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

He was a veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, as a line officer, and during the Korean conflict as a medical officer.

In 1947, he married Elizabeth “Lee” Wright, a marriage that lasted happily until her death in 1995.

Dr. Carter started a private family practice in Swanzey in 1954, and moved to Keene as a member of the Keene Clinic in 1960. While at the clinic, he organized the family practice department, becoming certified by the American Board of Family Practice. He also started the clinic’s urgent care service in 1984.

He was president of the Cheshire Hospital medical staff on two occasions and served as president of the clinic medical staff for one term. After his retirement from the clinic, he continued his association with Cheshire Hospital and was instrumental in developing the in-house physician staff of its emergency room. He served for five years as a staff emergency room physician, including one year as interim medical director.

Dr. Carter retired from full-time practice in 1991, and was chosen Family Physician of the Year by the New Hampshire Academy of Family Physicians that year. He served part-time at the Urgent Care Center until 1997. During retirement, he continued to serve patients by volunteering as a long distance driver for the Red Cross and was awarded the Barry Miller Red Cross Good Citizen Award in April, 2006. He is generally acknowledged as being the father of family medicine in Keene.

He enjoyed the outdoors and climbed Mount Monadnock hundreds of times, promoted Esperanto as an international language, and enjoyed sailing, playing chess, water-skiing and snow-skiing and spending time with his family at their summer cottage.

Survivors include his wife of 16 years, Harriette (Hackler) Robinson Carter of Swanzey; three children, Deborah Furlone and her husband, Mark, of Chesterfield, Stephen Carter and his wife, Debbie, of Troy, and Philip Carter and his wife, Carol Heim, of Leverett, Mass.; his brother, Charles Carter and his wife Elsie of Franklin, Ind.; his sister, Barbara Carter Moore of Marblehead, Mass.; his four grandchildren, Judy Lawton and her husband, Jeremy, Jeff Furlone and his wife, Holly, Emily Stewart and her husband, Bryan, and Nicole Carter; three great-grandchildren, Hayden, Grace and Lily; four stepchildren, Judy Sullivan and her husband, Tim, Gary Robinson, Brian Robinson, and Diane Sue Cass and her husband, Gary; 11 step-grandchildren, Sean Sullivan and his wife, Gisele, Kimberly Torres and her husband, Michael, Megan Sullivan, Heather Robinson, Narissa Robinson, Emma Robinson, Sarah Robinson, Michelle Seaver and her husband, Ryan, Curtis Cass, Steven Cass and his wife, Tally, and James Cass; and six step-great-grandchildren, Chantelle, Hunter, Justin, Kalagena, Laylianna and Anaiyah. The children in his life were one of his greatest pleasures.

Services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Swanzey, Old Homestead Highway. Friends are invited to attend.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 33 Marlboro St., Keene.

The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Dr. Carter’s memory to Home Healthcare Hospice, 312 Marlborough St., Keene 03431; or to the Monadnock Chapter of the American Red Cross, 83 Court St., Keene 03431.

The family would welcome your memories and stories of Dr. Carter at P.O. Box 588, Spofford 03462; or at [email protected].