James Weldon Carter

SERVICES: 10:00 AM Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at Memory Gardens Mausoleum in Pampa, with John Curry, and Rev. Jeff Taylor, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Pampa, officiating. Entombment will be in Memory Gardens Mausoleum. Memorial services will be at 4:00 PM Wednesday at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo with Rev. Regi Fowler, associate pastor of First Christian Church in Amarillo, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa.BIOGRAPHY: Mr. Carter was born May 30, 1958 in Pampa where he was a 1976 graduate of Pampa High School. James attended West Texas State University in Canyon. He had been a resident of Amarillo since 1976. He was a former member of First United Methodist Church in Pampa. He worked for Tumbleweed Sound and Lighting in Amarillo as a technician. He worked many productions across the Panhandle, especially The Nutcracker, the Amarillo Ballet, and for Paramount Terrace Christian Church for their annual Christmas pageant. James also did sound and lighting work for the Amarillo and Lubbock Civic Centers, and the United Spirit Arena at Texas Tech. In addition, he worked for the Midnight Rodeo in both Amarillo and Lubbock.This week we lost an icon of the arts scene and most did not know it. James Carter, affectionately known by his friends and co-workers as Jamesie, left the stages of Amarillo a bit darker on Wednesday with his passing. You may not have known James but I can guarantee you have seen his work if you ever went to Country Squire or Frenchy McCormack Dinner Theaters, any performance of Lone Star Ballet, Amarillo Opera, the Christmas Pageant at the Civic Center, Summer Youth Musicals, almost any concert or show at the Tri-State Fairgrounds, or even a hockey game at the Cal Farley Coliseum. He loved making art.James worked quietly behind the scenes for every arts entity, sports team, and entertainment venue in Amarillo. He worked for years for Tumbleweed Sound here in Amarillo. His name was the first on everyone's list of folks to work with their production. So, what did James Carter do? He was arguably the best stage-hand to have ever worked in Amarillo. Entertainment was his life. And he did everything behind the scenes.With James on your production, you could be assured that he would arrive seven minutes late to the call, but then would work tirelessly, rarely at a fast pace, but always steady. James was someone who everyone would be proud to have as an employee. He would look at the total picture of the tasks at hand and begin methodically eliminating them one-by-one. It was not necessary to give James a "to-do" list, he knew what needed to be done and did it, then did some more. He often would present, not a list of to-do's, but of things he had already done. James exhibited an eye for detail and always put the audience first. With James on the crew, you could be assured at least his part would be flawless. There are not many people who can claim they have no enemies. I have never met anyone who did not like Jamesie. He worked with so many Country and Rock acts that toured through Amarillo, he was well known by those folks too. Tours returning to Amarillo would often ask if Jamesie (yes, they called him that too) was working their show. He was said to be the best monitor mix guy in the Southwest. He documented the set-up of every band he ever worked with and could tell them exactly how it was done on their previous visit.James loved his friends and family. He loved purple. He loved Pink Floyd. He loved being the best at anything he did. He loved to laugh. He loved to do unique things like flushing cotton candy down toilets and dropping bowling balls from the roof of the Civic Center. He loved life. He remembered birthdays. He was loved in return.The show will go on but it won't quite be the same. We miss you Jamesie.SURVIVORS: Father: Weldon Carter of Pampa; 2 sisters: Cynthia Bedford and husband Alvin of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Linda Hamby of Lubbock; 5 nephews: Trey Bedford and wife Shannon of Broken Arrow, Brian Bedford, Daniel Bedford and wife Katie, all of Tulsa, OK, Garret Hamby and wife Heather of Chicago, IL, and Tyler Hamby of Lubbock; 1 niece: Kayla Hamby of Lubbock; a great niece and great nephew, Kaitlyn and David Bedford, both of Broken Arrow. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth Carter, in 1998. MEMORIALS: American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 50433, Amarillo, TX 79159 or First United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 1981, Pampa, TX 79066.