Hal Dunson Carter

October 23, 2020

Hal Dunson Carter, 93, of Sacramento, died Friday September 11, 2020. He was born to the late Jesse Thomas Carter and Yula May Smith Carter in 1927 in LaGrange, Georgia. Hal graduated from Duke University in 1948 and received a B.S. degree in Engineering interrupted midway by service in the Navy. Hal was married to Susette W. Carter for 63 years, and they began their married life in 1949 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hal and his family moved to Spartanburg and Greenville South Carolina, and then to Wayland, Massachusetts, where they lived for 35 years and raised their family. In retirement Hal and Sue moved first to Jacksonville, Florida, and later to Sacramento, California. Hal spent six years with Sue living in an extension of their daughter Lisa's and her husband Jeff Nordlander’s home there. Following Sue’s death, Hal moved to the Chateau, an assisted living facility, located a 5-minute drive from Lisa’s house, living there for the past six years. Hal was devoted to his family and especially to Sue whom he cared for all her married life and especially in later years. Hal loved his daughters and turned Valentine’s day into Daughter’s day writing each of them every year. Hal was adept at separating work from home life arriving home each evening at 6 pm promptly when the family shared the evening meal together. He generally spent weekends at home unless the family went on an outing together. Hal also was always engaged in church activities, including regular worship, Bible study, and singing in the church choir. His love of church hymns rooted him in his strong Christian faith. This same faith contributed to his generosity and many contributions to charitable causes. In his younger days, sports figured prominently in his life including Wayland, MA Trinitarian Congregational Church team in basketball and softball; these games are well remembered by his children who watched from the sidelines. Hal also played tennis into his 70’s to keep fit. Hal cared for his home working hard even to construct a barn for the horse-loving women in his life. Hal loved to sail and owned a 26-foot boat that he kept in Boston and then Florida. He spent many happy sailing hours in Boston Harbor with his daughter Melinda, and weekend trips with Sue on the Cape and elsewhere. Hal is survived by his four daughters, Susette Carter Shiver, Lorna Elizabeth Nordlander, Melinda Carter DeLuca, and Oreon Carter Mode; six grandchildren, including Duane Carter Mueller, Jesse Jennings Mueller, Susette Avie Nordlander, Jeffrey Arthur Nordlander, Hannah Perrine Mode, and Carter Philip Mode; and two great-grandchildren, Logan Robert Mueller and Ava Laine Mueller. Private inurnment took place at Jonesboro Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Crain Funeral Home in Anna-Jonesboro is in charge of arrangements.