Lois Carter

Lois Carter

1927-2020

Lois Juanita Carter of Ottumwa, formerly of Hedrick passed into her heavenly home on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. 

Lois was born in La Junta, Co. in a railroad box car on Aug. 21, 1927 to Orville “Neil” Miller and Juanita Mae Wilson Miller. Lois was a 1946 graduate of La Junta High School. She married the love of her life, Francis “Ray” Carter on Jan. 19, 1946 at Raton, N.M., and they had five children. Ray passed away on April 26, 1998. 

 Lois was an active church member and participated in several different ministries including teaching Sunday School, VBS, ladies fellowship, and serving at camps. As a community member she was involved with congregate meals and the Legion Auxiliary. Lois was a homemaker and took great enjoyment in helping Ray on the farm. She had a true passion for her family, she loved to make special treats for them including everyone’s favorite filled cupcakes and stained glass Jell-O. She was well known as a gardener and for raising goats. Lois enjoyed reading, cooking and was a gifted artist who loved drawing people. 

To cherish her memory, she leaves one son: Jim Carter of Hedrick; four daughters: Janis (James) Weber of Sigourney, Joyce (Richard) Prough of Palmyra, Mo, Judith (Craig) Heinrichs of Oskaloosa and Juanita (Donald) Brain of Hedrick. Ten grandchildren: Kevin Carter, Kari Adamson, Michelle Bailey, Stephanie Reynolds, Rachel McMahon, Erik Saaranen, Anna Lisa Lundgren, Nicholas Heinrichs, Rebecca Tosh and Bryan Brain and fourteen great-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Ray and her parents Orville “Neil” and Juanita Miller and a sister Dorothy Miller.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11 a.m. in the Fremont Funeral Chapel in Fremont,  with Pastor Jim Eschenbrenner officiating. Burial will be in the Brooks Cemetery near Hedrick. According to the rules put in place by the Iowa Department of Public Health, proper social distancing and reasonable personal protective equipment is advised for attending a religious public event. The funeral will be live streamed at the Bates Funeral Home’s YouTube Channel for those wishing to support the family from a distance. Visitation with the family present will be held Saturday morning from 9 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m. in the Fremont Funeral Chapel. Memorials may be made to the Hedrick American Legion Auxiliary. 

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