Marquette––-Mrs. Elaine M. Carter passed away peacefully on November 9, 2007 at the age of 82.
She was born January 12, 1925 to Clarence Seel and Cora Weber-Seel of Benton Harbor, MI. She attended Fairplain Grade School and graduated Benton Harbor High with the class of 1943. She married her high school sweetheart, Bob Carter of Millburg, MI shortly after he enlisted with the US Army-Air Force in 1943, and they were husband and wife for 64 years. Elaine loved nature and the miracle of gardening. Her favorite season was spring with the rebirth of her plants and flowers. She knitted many slippers, scarves and afghans, enjoying crafting her own gifts, and made exquisite holiday wreaths for family and friends. She loved birds and small animals and for several years hand-fed a family of wild Chickadees from her back porch in Republic, MI. Elaine lived with her husband and two children in Oscoda, MI from 1949 to 1952, then settled in Rockford, MI where her husband taught school and she raised daughter, Barbara, and son, David, as they completed elementary and high school. She and husband, Bob Carter, left Rockford for Marquette, MI in 1969 where he taught at Northern Michigan University, and Elaine later served as hostess at the Marquette Women’s Club. She loved playing the beautiful grand piano after hours at the club. She and Bob retired to Republic, MI in 1995, and both moved into the D. J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette in June of 2007 where Elaine passed away peacefully on Friday, November 9.
She is survived by husband, Bob Carter age 83, at D. J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette; two children, Barbara Giansanti in Grand Rapids, MI and David Carter and wife, Joella Vitek in Atlanta, GA; grandchildren and their families with seven great-grandchildren: Michael Giansanti in Jackson, MI, Steve Giansanti in Geneva, IL, and Zachary Carter in Atlanta, GA; sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and George Kella in Jackson, MI, with nephew, Michael Kella and niece, Linda Kella; sister and brother-in-law, Claredene and John VanEizenga in Stevensville, MI. with nephews, Bob McCoy and Dick McCoy.
A memorial service will be held at the Fassbender Funeral Home on Saturday, November 24, at 2:00 pm with Pastor Ardy Johnson, chaplain at the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans, officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home beginning at 1:00 pm Saturday until the time of service. A committal service will be held at the Carter Family gravesite in Millburg Cemetery, Millburg, MI in the Spring of 2008 when the plants and flowers are again reborn.
Those desiring may make contributions in memory of Elaine Carter to the Copper Country Audubon Club Sanctuary Fund, P.O. Box 124, Houghton, MI 49931 (see www.keweenawnow.com/news/audubon).