Warner “Ray” Carter

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Warner "Ray" Carter passed away on June 6, 2018, one month after the passing of his beloved wife, Julya "Ann" (Fincher) Carter.

He is survived by their children, Greg Carter (Paulette), Steve Carter (Mary) and Jana Watterson (Eric); grandchildren, Emily, Gaines, Clint, Daniel, Michael, Reed, Drew and Ivy; nieces, Cherie (Goodson) Inman and Denise Martin; nephews, Donald Goodson and Tim Martin; and many other relatives and friends.

He was predeceased by his sisters, Ethelene (Carter) Martin and Sadie (Carter) Goodson.

Ray was born to Charlie and Mary Annie (Raye) Carter on March 14, 1929 in Lanett, Alabama. Mary Annie died when Ray was six years old, and Pearl (Butler) Carter became his stepmother.

After graduation from Lanett High School in 1947, he worked as a stock clerk, and then served in the U.S. Air Force from 1948-1952. During most of his time in the Air Force, he served as a staff sergeant in Fukuoka, Japan.

Ray and Ann were married in Lanett on August 30, 1953. In 1956, he graduated from Auburn University with a degree in industrial management and began a long career with Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, later to become South Central Bell.

Ray loved his family more than words can express, and treasured his life as husband, father and grandfather. He was always mindful of and thankful for the many blessings in his life, and never took them for granted.

His family was, and will be always, deeply blessed by his love for them, by his love for God and His guidance, and by their everlasting love for him.

He was hard-working and determined, honest and straightforward, patient, kind, generous, friendly and joyful.

Ray always believed strongly in community service. He was a member of the Spanish Fort Volunteer Fire Department from 1964 to 1966 and resumed his service in 1971 after returning from a five-year work transfer to Birmingham. He was instrumental in the building of the fire department, and was appointed captain, fire chief, and eventually president of the department's board of directors.

In 1993, he was elected to become the first mayor of the newly incorporated city of Spanish Fort. He was re-elected in 1996 and served as mayor until his second term ended in 2000.

The funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 18, 2018 at East Pointe Baptist Church in Spanish Fort.

The family will receive friends at 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service.

Interment will be held at 2:30 p.m., Monday, June 18, 2018 at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in his honor may be made to East Pointe Baptist Church (eastpointebaptistchurch.com), the Spanish Fort Fire Department (spanishfortfire.org), or Covenant Care (choosecovenant.org/donate).

Expressions of condolence may be offered at hughesfh.com, Hughes Funeral Home, 7951 American Way, Daphne, AL.