CARTER, Ernest Ray, Jr. 1922-2009

CARTER, JEFFRIES, TESCH

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 4/15/2009 at 12:29:11

Ernest Ray Carter, Jr., 87, a former Osage resident, died March 28, 2009, at the VA hospital in San Antonio, Texas from cancer. A graveside service will be held at the Osage cemetery, Osage, Mitchell County, Iowa.

He was the son of Ernest Ray and Ina Vietta (Jeffries) Carter, Sr., and was born on January 9, 1922 on his parent's Rock township farm, located seven miles west of Osage. He grew up on this farm and attended country school (Rock # 1) and graduated from Osage High School in 1939. Ernest served in the United States Marine Corps during WWII, enlisting at Des Moines, Iowa on Dec. 11, 1942. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California as a Telephone Electrician Field Lineman. He was honorably discharged from service on Jan. 27, 1944 and returned to Iowa to help his father farm.

On May 21, 1944, Ernest was joined in marriage to Mathilda Tesch on May 21, 1944 in Osage. They divorced in 1974. Three sons were born to them: Ronald, Curtis and Bryan.

Ernest farmed for over thirty years. The first five years, he farmed west of Osage in Rock township. The next three years, he farmed near Plymouth, Iowa and farmed a year between St. Ansgar and Carpenter, Iowa. He farmed near Adams, Minnesota for five years, and sixteen years near Otranto, Iowa. In 1974, he moved to Austin, Minnesota where he worked until he retired in 1987. He moved to Mission, Texas where he resided until his death.

Ernest is survived by his sons: Ronald (Josie) Carter, Yuma, Arizona; Curtis (Ann) Carter, Des Moines, Iowa; and Bryan Carter, Hollywood, Florida. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Rodrigo Manga, Jeffrey Carter, Nicole Carter, and Donna Carter; and six great-grandchildren, and nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Fred and Earl Carter; two sisters, Lulu Shoger and Gladys Hobkirk, and one grandson, James Carter.

[Mitchell County Press online, April 14, 2009 - edited]