Mary Elizabeth Carter

Mary was born November 21, 1930 to Frederick and Alma Platt in Great Falls, Montana. An only child, she grew up during the “Great Depression” of the 1930’s a difficult time for many families. She was raised in several different areas of Montana and always spoke fondly of her home state. In 1945 she moved to Billings, Montana where she met and married our father, Tom Bean. Tom was 1 of 8 children, so she suddenly had the family she had always longed for and loved as her own blood.

In 1960 the family moved to Bellevue, WA where they became charter members of Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. Mary was devoted to her faith, and her love of God guided her throughout her life.

She was a “stay at home mom” until her youngest child was in the 5th grade. She then became a secretary for the guidance counselor at Odle Middle School. Her 2 youngest children, Diana and Ron, attended the same school. Can you imagine their thrill having their mother in the “Guidance Counselor’s” office?? However, she was off during the summers and the family enjoyed the time spent together.

Mary left the school district and became the secretary for the company our father started, C&M Interiors, along with her son, Mike. (Are you sensing a pattern here?) When that ended, she went to work at Overlake Hospital Medical Center as an admissions secretary in the Emergency Department. That is the same Emergency Department that her daughter Diana was working in as an RN. (She LOVED being with her family!) Needless to say we have a lot of the same friends, and what a blessing that has been.

Mary was awarded “Employee of the Year” at Overlake Hospital in 1984, an honor she always cherished. She was also awarded “Outstanding Personal Support” person for the regional Multiple Sclerosis Center. And then Overlake Hospital Foundation “Member of the Year 2003” for her contributions to the Connections program.

Mary married Gene Carter in 1989. She retired from Overlake Hospital in 1996. They enjoyed living the retired life with trips to the Holy Land and of course, Arizona. We are so grateful for the years they had together.

When Gene died in 2005 Mary moved to Silver Glenn Retirement Center. She was active in many of the Center activities and thoroughly enjoyed the time she lived there.

Mary is survived by her children: Sheryl Dunbar (Daniel) of Salem, OR, Mike Bean (Jan) of Bellevue, WA, Diana Jimenez (Chris) of Moses Lake, WA, and Ron Bean (Roberta Gregg) of Pomona, CA. She is also survived by grandchildren Christopher Bean (Anne), Kevin Bean (Raelynn), Larissa Bean and Brandi Duffy (Rob) and four great grandchildren, Karmen, Tyler, Mikayla and Elaine Savannah Bean.

Donations in memory of Mary (Bean) Carter may be made to Cross of Christ Lutheran Church or Habitat for Humanity.