Joseph Dean Carter

Joe Carter passed away on Sunday, February 4, 2024, leaving his wife, children, and grandchildren, as well as his extended family with a huge hole in their family and their hearts.  He shared his early life growing up with three younger sisters who he cherished and loved dearly. Joe met and married Margie in 1983, sharing 40 years of marriage and three children who were his utmost pride and joy, until his grandchildren came along and stole the spotlight.

Joe was a teacher, learner, builder, and creator.  He homeschooled his young children, instilling the love of reading and learning in each of them. He loved to create and build, always searching for unique and better ways to do things. Remodeling and improving the homes they lived in, he was a true DIY type of guy and with the help of his father, completely remodeled an old farmhouse. If he didn’t know how to do something, he figured it out. His creative side lead to building rustic birdhouses from lath found in the walls of that old farmhouse;  making uniquely designed suncatchers from beads; creating games such as Fuzzball Survival and A Friend Indeed; and in later years, producing artwork through photos and paintings manipulated with apps on his phone that resulted in amazing spirals and abstract pieces of art.   He loved working with wood and building things for his grandchildren -  a wooden scooter,  loft bed, kid’s picnic table, rabbitat for their pet bunny, etc.

Joseph D Carter, Portland, Oregon, was born in 1959 to Everett Dale and Letitia Ann (Hite) Carter in Indianapolis, Indiana.  He is survived by his wife, Margie (Brown) Carter; three children: Mark (Andie) Carter, Amsterdam Netherlands,  Laura (Rob) Hoos, Rainier, Oregon, and Kreg Carter, Portland, Oregon; four grandchildren: Abigail, Cora, and Everett Hoos, and Corin Thompson-Carter; father, Everett Dale Carter, Valparaiso, Indiana, three sisters: Susan (Brian) Sewell of Rochester, Indiana, Deborah Henke, LaPorte, Indiana, and Cheryl Wallace, Valparaiso, Indiana and several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his mother.

No public memorial. His wife, children, their spouses and his grandchildren spent  3 days together at the coast privately remembering his many gifts and quirks over the years – reproducing the culinary recipes he created, playing games he created, and just being together honoring the man he was – deeply loved and forever in their hearts