James Edward Carter

Dr. James Edward Carter, age 80 years, passed away on January 26, 2015 in his son’s home in Shreveport, Louisiana after a short illness. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 29, 2015 in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church, Natchitoches. Graveside services will be conducted by Reverend Tommy Rush, Dr. Scott Tatum and Dr. Perry Webb on Friday, January 30 at 10:00 a.m. at the Centuries Memorial Cemetery, Shreveport, Louisiana. “Sonny” Carter was born on January 19, 1935 in New Edinburg, Arkansas to the union of Edward F. Carter and Carrie Sue Reaves. James was a graduate of Queensborough Elementary School and Fair Park High School in Shreveport. He graduated from Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana with a B.A. in History in 1957. He also earned a Master of Divinity (1960) and PH.D. in Church History (1964) from Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He received the Albert Venting Jr. Memorial Award (1961) and the Freedoms Foundation Award (1971 and 1979) by Southwestern and was named the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by Louisiana College in 1979. Dr. Carter began his ministry in 1955 as the pastor of Wise Memorial Baptist Church in Lena, Louisiana. He served as the pastor of four other churches in Louisiana and Texas over the next 33 years, including the First Baptist Church of Natchitoches (1964 –1977) and the University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas (1978 – 1988). He completed his ministry as a “minister to ministers,” serving as the Director of Church-Minister Relations for the LA Baptist Convention, Alexandria, Louisiana from 1988 to 2000. He also served twice as the interim pastor of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport and wrote the sesquicentennial history of the church, To See and Serve Jesus. A prolific writer as well as a noted teacher, he authored 19 books and wrote the weekly Sunday school lessons in the “Baptist Message,” the paper for Louisiana, from 1967 – 1978 and the “Baptist Standard,” the Texas state paper, during 1979. He also served as the President (1973) and Vice-President (1970) of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and served on its Executive Board from 1968 – 1977. He was also an active member of the Rotary Club, the American Society of Church History and the Southern Baptist Historical Society. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Carole Ann Hunter Carter. He is survived by his sister, Peggy Sue Carter Underwood of Monroe, Louisiana, and children James Craig Carter and wife Roni of Leawood, Kansas, Edward Keith Carter and wife Robin of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Chyrisse Ann Carter Miller and her husband Keith of Austin, Texas. Fourteen grandchildren survive him: Megan Carter Stair and her husband Sean, Rachel Carter, Rebecca Lara and her husband Michael, James Hunter Carter, Clair Carter Lovett and her husband Sean, Meredith Carter Conanan and her husband Esmeraldo, 1st Lt. Grant Miller, Lacie Kennedy and her husband Chris Kennedy, Matthew Reaves Miller, Hannah Carter, Thomas Martin Carter, Camille Carter, Caroline Miller, Seth Carter and two great-granddaughters, Francis Lovett and Skye Stair. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Jack H. Stokeld, spouse of deceased sister, Elizabeth Ellen Carter Stokeld of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, his sister-in-law, Jimmie Ruth Hunter Butler and her husband the Hon. Robert Y. Butler of Arcadia, Louisiana, and brother-in-law, Ted A. Hunter and his wife Martha Hayes Hunter of Shreveport. Four nephews and two nieces also survive Dr. Carter – Carrie B. Underwood, Marc Carter Stokeld, John A. Hunter, James H. Hunter, Ellen Sue Pickering and Jill Elizabeth Stokeld. The family expresses heart-felt appreciation to Mattie Jackson, Hattie Jackson and Snola Jackson, Feberine Thomas, and Mrs. Sara Leary for their tender care of our father during his illness. We are also grateful to the outpouring of love and support provided by friends and to our brother and sister-in-law, Keith and Robin, who provided hospice service in their home. Memorial donations can be made to the charity of cause of the donor's desire.