Janet Carter

Janet graduated from Palo Duro High School in 1964. On August 3, 1964, she married the love of her life, Mickey Carter, at Grace Baptist Church. Together they shared 54 years of marriage before Mickey’s passing in 2018.

After high school, Janet worked as a beautician before beginning her long career with Southwestern Bell Telephone in 1967 as a telephone operator. She retired from AT&T in 2004. She was a proud member of the Communications Workers of America and actively supported the local union and her fellow communication workers throughout her career. Janet was also a devoted member of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as an Officer and Worthy Matron. She generously gave her time and talents in support of the organization’s many charitable causes.

Janet deeply enjoyed the outdoors and treasured camping trips with family and friends. Many trips were made to the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado, where she delighted in motorcycle riding, fishing, sightseeing, and simply relaxing. Later, she and Mickey purchased a small one-bedroom cabin in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Coyote Creek State Park. There, they enjoyed countless evenings gathered around the kitchen table playing cards and dominoes, sharing stories, and basking in the warmth of the fireplace. She had a passion for sewing and crafting and lovingly gifted her creations to family and friends. Mickey built her a crafting room filled with sewing machines, fabric, and supplies that brought her endless joy. One memorable year, she collected pinecones from their cabin and made Christmas wreaths for loved ones. Janet also loved baking and cooking and was especially known for her wonderful pot roast. Family meant everything to Janet. She cherished phone calls, visits, family reunions with the Gresham and Carter families, and long nights filled with laughter and shared memories. She also dearly loved her close neighbors on West 57th Street, where she and Mickey lived for 50 years. Her greatest love was her family—her husband Mickey, her sons Cecil and Robert, her daughters-in-law Melissa and Erin, and her granddaughters Emily and Claire. Janet was a devoted and supportive mother, encouraging her sons in every activity they pursued, including Cub Scouts through their achievement of Eagle Scout. Family time, whether movie nights with popcorn or simple dinners together, always brought joy to her heart and a smile to her face.

Janet is survived by her sons, Cecil and Robert Carter; daughter-in-law, Erin Carter; brothers, Rodney and Jimmy Gresham; sisters, Charlene Bouldin and Darlene Osborne; and granddaughters, Emily and Claire.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mickey Carter (November 30, 2018); her parents, J.E. “Dick” Gresham and Velma Gresham (February 6, 2005); sisters, Billie Jean Meredith (June 6, 2016) and Doris McCurdy (June 27, 2018); brother, Clark Gresham; and daughter-in-law, Melissa Carter (June 29, 2021).

Janet will be remembered for her kindness, devotion to family, generous spirit, and the love she shared with all who knew her.