Arlene Lorraine (Hamilton) Carter

Arlene was born to parents Paul Andrew Hamilton and Wilma Leona Crow, on January 6, 1937, in Seattle, Washington. Her parents divorced while she was a toddler and her father married Ethel Christine Hamilton. Her father, Paul, owned and operated the “Ketchikan,” a tugboat that travelled around Puget Sound salvaging lost logs. Arlene spent her weekends onboard and stayed with friends during the week to attend grade school. She graduated from Lincoln High School and attended the University of Washington pursuing her passion and talent for art. While attending college and working as a switchboard operator for the telephone company, Arlene met Robert R. Carter, whom she would marry in 1957. Three children soon followed: Cheryl Lorraine Carter, Jeffrey Raymon Carter, and Robert Clifton Carter. The Carter family planted roots on Bainbridge Island, along Wardwell Road, where they raised their children and chased chickens, rabbits, goats, cats, dogs, birds, and horses. Arlene devoted much of her time to her children, volunteering and working from home to provide them opportunities with Boy Scouts, Campfire, Rainbow Girls, horseback riding & music lessons. When the kids required less of her, she took a job with the Island’s Lumbermen’s store where she worked for 15+ years, retiring as Office Manager.

Arlene remained on Bainbridge until 2006 filling those years with work, caring for her stepmother, creating and showing her art, and nurturing many lasting friendships. In 2006, she moved to Federal Way to be closer to her sons and their growing families. While there, she enjoyed visits with family and friends, gardening, watching hummingbirds, visiting her sister in Cathedral City, travels to Hawaii and Alaska with her daughter, and excursions to Mariners games and local casinos with long-time friend Sylvia Molzahn. She also enjoyed the ladies’ Bunco group where she met her Seattle “adopted-daughter” Carrie Franz.

Arlene traveled north to Alaska in 2016 by way of Hawaii, where she celebrated her favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, with her daughter’s family. She arrived to her new home in Anchorage relying on a stair-climbing “tractor” to negotiate icy stairs. Health limitations didn’t keep her from enjoying family time and sharing stories. She loved telling the story about when her wheelchair hopped to the 7.1-earthquake that shook Anchorage on November 30, 2018.

Throughout her lifetime, Arlene continued to create, pouring love and sentiment into many works reflecting the beauty she saw in the world. She has gifted loved ones with a legacy through her art, sewing, knitting, amazing family recipes, treasured by all.

Arlene cherished her family. She is survived by her sister, Barbara JoAnne Campbell (Donald), brother George Scott, Jr., former husband Bob Carter (Cathy); children Cheri Shrader (Steve), Jeff Carter (April); and Rob Carter (Sheri); eight grandchildren, Michael, Shawna (Matthew), Adam, Kali, Melissa, Brennan, Kirsten (Robert), Devon, Jesse; five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Paul and Wilma, stepmother Ethel Hamilton, and her beloved brother Douglas Lee Hamilton (Jeannine), who was killed in a tragic auto-accident just weeks before her hospitalization in June 2019.

A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at 3:00 p.m., at the historic Dacca Barn, 2820 54th Avenue East, Fife, Washington. In keeping with her wishes, her ashes will be laid to rest with her parents at the Acacia Memorial Funeral Park in Seattle, Washington. Her family is forever grateful for the care Arlene and her family received from staff at Providence Hospital, Providence Extended Care (Nenana Cottage), the Providence Palliative Care Team, Sister Cecelia, and Dr. Elizabeth Martinez-Augustin. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions on her behalf be made to a local hospice or charity of your choice.