James Butler Carter

James Butler Carter, a native of Queen Anne’s County, died Saturday, May 5, 2007 at Chester River Hospital Center. He was 90 years old. Mr. Carter was born on October 16, 1916 in Queenstown, MD to the late James Bartlett Carter and Louise Butler Carter. He graduated from Centreville High School in 1933. In 1935, he graduated from Goldey Beacom Business College and went to work for Standard Accident Insurance Company in Detroit, Michigan, as a tabulating machine operator. With war imminent, Mr. Carter joined the U.S. Army in 1941; he met Katharine Adele Cockey on the Matapeake-Annapolis Ferry in February 1942 and they were wed on July 11. He was stationed overseas in North Africa and Italy during World War II as commanding officer of the 21st Machine Records Unit that employed early computing technology. Mr. Carter assisted in the development of the first war theater-wide database to track personnel assignments, casualties and replacements. After the war, he was assigned to the newly completed Pentagon until he transferred to the Army Reserve and returned with Kitty to Detroit and Standard Accident. He progressed through two company takeovers in assignments as claims adjustor, assistant manager and branch manager in Detroit, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, then as Senior Vice-President and Controller in the home office where he was responsible for all company information systems. In the Army Reserve, Mr. Carter attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and numerous service schools. He retired as a Colonel in 1965 with several personal awards including the Bronze Star for his wartime service. In 1956 the family moved to Wayne, PA, then to Kent Island in 1959 where they lived on Broad Creek until 1968 when they moved back to Wayne, then to Weems, VA in 1981 after his retirement. Mrs. Carter longed to return to the Eastern Shore which resulted in their 1983 move to Governor Grason Manor in Queenstown until 2000, when they moved to Heron Point in Chestertown. He coached his son in Little League in Wayne. From 1960 to 1966 Mr. Carter was active in the Kent Island Lions Club, serving as Secretary, then President, and later as Zone Chairman and Deputy District Governor of District 22B. He was an avid boater and a life member of the Kent Island Yacht Club, where he served several years as Treasurer and with Kitty enjoyed many KIYC cruises. Mr. Carter served as Treasurer, Queen Anne’s County Historical Society in 1987. His grandchildren were his pride and joy. Mr. Carter was preceded in death by his loving wife, Kitty, on October 27, 2006, and by his brothers Charles Wrightson Carter and Robert Bryan Carter. Mr. and Mrs. Carter suffered the loss of stillborn twin boys before their two surviving children were born. He is survived by a son, James Butler Carter, Jr. and his wife Marie Webb Carter of Fairfax, VA; a daughter, Katharine Carter Goodling of Virginia Beach, VA; five grandchildren, Katharine Marie Carter of Fairfax, VA, Rebekah Miriam Carter of San Diego, CA, Ashley Elizabeth Carter, Rachel Lillian Carter, James Aaron Carter, all of Fairfax, VA, and a sister, Sara Carter Delaha, of Slidell, LA. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 11, 2007 at 11 a.m. at Wye of Carmichael United Methodist Church, 1036 Carmichael Road, Queenstown, MD 21658. Services provided by Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P. A., Chester, MD 21619. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Wye of Carmichael United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 7, Queenstown, MD 21658.