Richard Hamlin Carter

Richard Hamlin Carter, the son of Henry Montgomery Carter and Delphine Ida Mae Hamlin Carter, was born May 21, 1919 in Greeley Township, Audubon County, Iowa and died at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa November 5, 2010 at the age of 91 years, 5 months, and 14 days.
Richard was raised on his parents farm in Hamlin Township north of Exira. He attended rural school and graduated from Exira High School in 1937. He was Class President in 1937.
In August of 1937 he enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Service Corps and was stationed at Shenandoah, Iowa as Company Clerk and Canteen operator until honorably discharged. He then worked for Coca-Cola Bottling Company in the advertising department at both Villisca, Iowa and Grand Island, Nebraska. After Pearl Harbor was attacked he resigned and entered the Army in August of 1942. After training in California and North Carolina, Richard was shipped to the Hawaiian Islands where they then were sent to the Battle of Okinawa. After being honorably discharged in January of 1945, Richard returned home to farm where he went into partnership with his parents. He then enrolled in the G. I. Bill education on farming.
On November 27, 1949, he was united in marriage to Frances O. Renftle at the First United Methodist Church in Audubon. Two children were born to this union. They farmed in Hamlin Township until 1951 when they moved to and later purchased their farm in Greeley Township. Richard enjoyed hunting and fishing.
Richard and Frances semi-retired and moved to Audubon in 1980 where he worked for J. & J. Hardwoods in Hamlin and was groundskeeper at Landmands Bank in Audubon. He also was hail adjuster for Farmers Mutual Insurance. He also took up golfing after moving to town and loved it, always hoping for a hole-in-one. He and Frances enjoyed many years of ball room dancing with friends.
Richard was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he had six years of perfect attendance and served on several boards and offices in the Methodist Mens Group. He was a long time active member of the Farm Bureau and a Director and Secretary of Davids Creek Watershed. He was a strong soil conservationist, receiving the Good Year Soil Conservation Award in 1959. He was one of the original organizers of the Audubon County Pork Producers and enjoyed entering hog shows. He was a member of the Audubon County Historical Society, Good Neighbor Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 4119, American Legion Post 120, Audubon County Conservation Club, and Lions Club International where he received the Warren Coleman Honorary Award.
Preceding him in death were his parents and his brothers-in-law: John Renftle and Art Erickson.
Survivors include his wife Frances Carter of Audubon, IA; his children: Dennis and wife Cindy Carter of Hamlin, IA and Doug and wife Betsy Carter of Audubon; his grandchildren: Jerry and Ann Carter of Audubon; Jill and Mark Notz of Ankeny, IA; Greg Carter of Audubon; Rachel and Steve Russell of Pleasant Hill, IA; Mike and Jenna Carter of Farmington, MN; his great-grandchildren: Olivia and Vincent Carter, Brody and Bennett Notz, Dylan Carter; his sisters; Faye Erickson of Exira and Janice and husband Don Andersen of Audubon; his sister-in-law Martha Renftle of Indianola, IA, other relatives and friends.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

Visitation:
The family will meet with friends on Sunday, November 7, 2010 from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon.

Service:
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Jud Stover on Monday, November 8, 2010 at 2:00 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church in Audubon.