Ruby (Thomas) Carter

Ruby Thomas Carter, 88, of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, formerly of Fayetteville passed away on Sunday, June 15, 2014 at McGraw Hospice in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mrs. Carter was born September 16, 1925, in Waycross, Georgia, to the late Ray William Thomas, Sr., and Alma Pittman Thomas. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Carter was predeceased by her baby daughter Linda Ray Carter, who lived from January 19, 1948 till January 27, 1948, and her husband of 42 years, Joel William Carter, Jr., who passed away in May, 1987. She was also predeceased by her sister Marjorie Ruth Thomas Gaitley in July, 2000.

Mrs. Carter was raised in Georgia, and moved with her family to Washington, D.C, during WWII. She attended and graduated from Strayer Business College, in Washington, D.C. and was immediately hired by the War Production Board, Department of War. She worked there from January, 1943 until October, 1945. Through the years, Mrs. Carter continue to work for several US government agencies including the Government Printing Office, the Department of the Army at Cameron Station, Virginia, Dewitt Army Hospital, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Throughout her years of work, she was awarded several “Outstanding Sustained Superior Service” awards, and was consistently recognized by both her military and civilian supervisors as a valuable and valued employee.

Mrs. Carter is survived by her daughter Joyce A Carter-Bates of and husband Retired Air Force Col. Rodney L. “Rod” Bates of Jacksonville. She is survived by two grandsons: James M. Dunn and wife Sonia Cristina Juarez of Middleburg, VA, and Joshua M. Dunn and wife Tarun McNeill Dunn of Jacksonville. Three great-grandchildren are part of her legacy: Isabella Joelle Dunn, Noah Zachary Dunn, and Mila Dunn. Mrs. Carter is also survived by two siblings and a sister-in-law: Edna M. “Peggy” Courson of Jacksonville Beach, and Ray William “Bill” Thomas, Jr. and his wife Grace of Bryantown, Md. Other surviving relatives include cousins, nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Carter's memorial service will be held at Rogers and Breece Funeral Home in Fayetteville, on Friday, May 29, 2015. This date would have been Mr. and Mrs. Carter's 70th wedding anniversary. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m., with the service following from 2-3 p.m. with retired Army chaplain Archie Barringer officiating. Interment will immediately follow in Parkton Cemetery, in Parkton, where Mrs. Carter will be laid to rest beside her husband and infant daughter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to your local Humane Society, the ASPCA, any animal rescue group, or the American Cancer Society.

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