Wilbur "Bo" Lee Carter Jr

Greensboro, NC: Wilbur Lee “Bo” Carter, Jr., 90, passed away at Well Spring Retirement Community on Friday, July 20, 2012. His funeral service will be at 2:00 PM Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro; the family will visit with friends immediately following the service in the Virginia Gilmer Room. The family will also visit with friends in the Private Dining Room at Well Spring 4:30–5:30 PM, Wednesday.

Bo is survived by his wife of 68 years, Martha Sauvain “Mot” Carter, daughter Judith Marie Carter of Fairview, North Carolina, daughter Carolyn Carter Yawars of Lexington, Virginia, son W. Lee Carter III of Summerfield, North Carolina, granddaughter Aspen Yawars McKenna of Hood River, Oregon, grandson Theodore Carter Yawars of Richmond, Virginia, and great-granddaughter Rowan Anne McKenna. Other family members include Susan Sluyter, Dave Yawars, Greg Bradley, Traci Yawars, and Ian McKenna.

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Mr. Carter’s parents were Wilbur Lee Carter and Marie Estelle Cranford Carter of Greensboro, North Carolina, both of whom predeceased him. His sister, Virginia Blair Carter Hagan and his brother-in-law Charles Tilden Hagan, Jr. of Greensboro, North Carolina, also predeceased him. Extended family members include Anne Blair Hagan, Charles Tilden (Chip) Hagan III and US Senator Kay Hagan, Henry Guy Hagan and Sims Hagan, John Carter Hagan, and David Blair Hagan and Mary Grover Hagan.

Extended family members Ed Sauvain, Charles Smart and Elizabeth S. Smart predeceased him. Other family members include Peggy Sauvain, Ted and Kathy Sauvain, Mike and Janice Sauvain, Pete and Deb Sauvain, John and Martha Barlow, Ginger Shoe, Charles and Pam Smart, Jr., and Jim and Celia Smart.

He graduated from Greensboro High School (Grimsley) in Greensboro in 1939. He received his B.Sc. degree from Davidson College in 1943. He received the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation and the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA.

He was a US Army Captain in the Infantry serving in the European Theatre in Germany (1943-1945) in General Patton’s Third Army. He received three Decorated Battle Stars and the Purple Heart for his distinguished service after he was hit by shell fragments.

Mr. Carter was President and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Life Insurance Company from 1946 until the company’s sale in 1986. His father founded the company in 1927. He is credited with building Southern Life to a nationally recognized insurance leader, ranked in the top 10% of all U.S. life insurance companies. When Southern Life built its new headquarters in downtown Greensboro in 1980 (now the US Trust Building) the move was hailed as the beginning of the renovation of downtown Greensboro.

Bo Carter was an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church, past Chairman of the United Way Campaign of Greater Greensboro, past Chairman of the United Arts Fund Campaign, past Chairman of the Life Insurers Conference, and Ex-Master of the Sedgefield Hunt. He was a board member of Security National Bank which later became NCNB, NationsBank, and Bank of America. He remained a member of the NationsBank Board of Directors until 1987. He was a member of the Jefferson-Pilot Corporation Board of Directors until 1980 and a member of the Liberty Life Insurance Corporation Board of Directors until 1988. He was a Trustee of the Wesley Long Hospital, and made the first gift to its endowment which would later become the Wesley Long/Moses Cone Community Health Endowment Fund.

He was a member emeritus of the Board of Directors and past Chair of the Investment Committee of the Walthour-Moss Foundation in Southern Pines, NC. He was a Fellow of the Life Underwriters Training Council, past board member of the American Council of Life Insurance, and a member of the Greensboro Association of Life Underwriters. He was a founding board member of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and a past member of its Investment Committee.

He was a founding board member of the Greensboro Sports Council, Junior Achievement of Central North Carolina, and the Greensboro Investment Club. He was a past member of the board of directors of L. Richardson Memorial Hospital, Evergreens Nursing Center, and the Master of Foxhounds Association. He was an Eagle Scout. He received the Boss of the Year Award in l982 from the Greensboro Jaycees. He was a past member of the Greensboro Country Club, the Roaring Gap Country Club, the Country Club of North Carolina, and the Figure Eight Island Yacht Club.

In addition to Bo’s love and compassion for his family, friends, church, company and his community, his passion was horseback riding. Starting at the age of 5 he became an avid horseman. He and Mot taught each of their children to ride and most weekends were spent foxhunting and riding together as a family. Bo began foxhunting with the Sedgefield Hunt in Greensboro in 1952 and was Master of Foxhounds for 20 years. He was a Director of the Master of Foxhounds Association of America where he also served as District director. Additionally he and Mot hunted with the Moore County Hounds in Southern Pines for 55 years.

HIS WAS A LIFE WELL SPENT.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in honor of Mr. Carter may be made to the Carter Family Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, 330 South Greene Street, Greensboro, N.C. (336-379-9100).

On line remembrances may be made at www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com