“Don’t put the word “Miss” on my gravestone, because I didn’t miss a single thing during my time on Earth!” Anyone who had the pleasure of being around Mary F. Carter for any length of time heard her make that statement more times than once. And the more time you spent with her, the more you realized Mary took those word to heart in her 88 years on Earth, which came to a peaceful end on October 9, 2021 at her son’s home in Winston-Salem, NC.
Mary was born on April 28, 1933 in Sullivan County, Tennessee, to the late Verlin Edgar Bowery and Vergie Mary Ann Little Bowery. She was the youngest child in her family and was preceded in death by her brother’s George William Bowery, David Haskell Bowery, Claude Edward Bowery, Sr., and Verlin Edgar Bowery, Jr., and an older sister Bonnie Bertha Bowery Lane. Mary was also preceded in death by her beloved husbands and best friends, Dorsey Hobert Fields and William Dale Carter. Dorsey and Dale provided Mary with a lifetime of joyous memories and households full of love and respect.
Mary was a well known genealogist and historian of East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, and was a Charter Member of the Sullivan County Historical Society. She and her husband Dale had a combined almost 80 years of genealogy research in the local area, authoring several books that traced the lineage of prominent Families in the area, and giving the history of Frontier Forts and important battles fought locally. Much of their donated work can be found at the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism in Blountville.
Mary was a proud member of the Carter’s Fort Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for more than 30 years serving as Regent and many other committee posts. She especially enjoyed the DAR school programs and displays, work at Crossnore School and helping other people trace their family histories. Mary was also very proud of her involvement with the Elijah Cross II Chapter of the United Daughters of 1812. In addition to having membership in the First Families of Franklin and the First Families of Tennessee, Mary was proud to have traced her ancestors to membership in over 17 Genealogical Societies.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Brenda McConnell (Jim), Chattanooga, TN, and son, Allen Fields (Betsy), Winston-Salem, NC; Stepchildren Teresa Richards (Sandy), Hiltons, VA, Susan Bullis, FL, Mary Carrier, Bristol TN, and Dale Carter, Kingsport, TN; Grandchildren Adam McConnell (Marilynn), Kendall Fields, Carter Fields, Sheri Ryan (Dave), Jonathan Carrier (Krystal), Clara Morrell (Ryan), Katie Arnold; and 9 great-grandchildren, Thomas Ryan, Carter Carrier, Rachael Ryan, Hannah Morrell, Mason Arnold, Natalie Carrier, Riley Morrell, Rory McConnell, and Quinn McConnell.
The family will receive friends on Monday, October 18, 2021, in the East Lawn Funeral Home Parlor from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. followed by a graveside service.
A DAR Service of Remembrance by the Carter’s Fort Chapter NSDAR, Barbara Walton Reed, Honorary Regent of Carter’s Fort DAR, will read the Eulogy, followed by the Elijah Cross II Chapter United Daughters of 1812 and Virginia Frontier Society Children of the American Revolution.
Family and Friends will serve as Pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary’s memory to the Crossnore Communities For Children at https://www.crossnore.org/donate/.
