Carter, Benjamin F., Jr. (1919-2015)

CARTER, BRIDGES, BURRESS

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 10/18/2015 at 10:43:43

Benjamin F. Carter, Jr.
May 17, 1919 - September 12, 2015

Benjamin F. Carter Jr., 96, of Forest City, died on Saturday, September 12, 2015, at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City.

A native of Iowa City, Benjamin Franklin Carter, Jr., was born on May 17, 1919, to Benjamin and Elizabeth Carter. He graduated from Iowa City High School in 1936 and the University of Iowa. In 1942, he enlisted as an aviation cadet in the Navy Air Corps and received his wings and commission in 1943. After seventeen months of sea duty with a Navy patrol bomber squadron, he returned to the States to become an instructor and later an executive officer of a Navy air base in Florida. He earned his private pilot’s license while a student at the University of Iowa in 1947.

Carter married Joyce Ann Bridges on January 3, 1945, in Highland Park, Illinois. After his discharge from the Navy in 1946, Ben and Joyce moved to Detroit, Michigan, where Ben worked as advertising manager for the Detroit Suburban Newspapers. September 15, 1947, Ben became advertising manager of the Forest City Summit, owned by Harold and Ernest Cassill. Fourteen months later the Cassills decided to sell and the Carters bought the newspaper.

Carter served as editor-publisher of The Summit for thirty-seven years, retiring in 1983. During his tenure, The Summit won a long list of awards in the “Better Newspaper Contests” sponsored by the Iowa Press Association, including four times being named as the top community weekly newspaper in Iowa.

Elected to the board of directors of the Iowa Press Association in 1961, Carter served eleven years on the board. In addition, he was elected the association’s state president for the 1971-72 year. In 1973, the Iowa Press Association awarded him its highest honor, the “Master Editor-Publisher” Award.

Carter received numerous honors and awards including the chamber’s John K. Hanson Lifetime Achievement Award, the Iowa State Volunteer of the Year award, and the Lions Club Citizen of the Year award. Moreover, he was inducted into the Forest City Education Hall of Fame.

Carter served the Forest City community in many ways. He was a past president of the Forest City Chamber of Commerce, a past commander of the Forest City American Legion Post, a secretary of Forest City Development, Inc., a trustee of the Forest City Community Hospital for twelve years, a director of the Forest City Golf Club, a member of various fund raising committees for Waldorf College, a fifty-year member of the Rotary Club, and a member of the Forest City United Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, and the Odd Fellows Lodge.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce; two sons, Benjamin III (Jan) of Georgetown, Texas, and Robert (Yvonne), of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota; a daughter, Cynthia of Forest City; five grandchildren, Jason (Amber), of College Station, Texas, Joshua (Stephanie), of Metrairie, Louisiana, Haille, of League City, Texas, Ashley (Nathan) Burress, of Eldridge, Iowa, and Anthony (fiancée, Yelena) of Forest City; four great-grandchildren, Isabel, Maxwell, Jackson, and Benjamin Carter; and a brother, Robert, of North Richland Hills, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Louise, and a brother, Richard.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, September 19, 201,5 at the Forest City United Methodist Church in Forest City with Pastor Chuck Layton officiating. A gathering of friends and family will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., Friday, September 18, 2015, at the Cataldo Schott Funeral Chapel in Forest City and also one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Inurnment will take place in Oakland Cemetery in Forest City. Memorials may be directed to the Good Samaritan Center of Forest City, the Forest City United Methodist Church, or to a charity of the donor’s choosing.

Copyright © 2015, Cataldo Schott Funeral Home

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