Don Lee Carter

Don Lee Carter, 88, of Allen, and formerly of Pampa, passed away on Sunday, February 16, 2020, in McKinney.

Services will be 2:00 PM Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel in Pampa with Franklin McDonough, deacon of Somerville Church of Christ officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

Don was born December 7, 1931, at the home place in Sparks, Oklahoma to Frank and Myrtle Carter. He was the youngest child of three, all boys. He graduated from Prague High School and then joined the U.S. Navy and served four years on an aircraft carrier and spent time in Guam. During one of his leave times, his sister-in-law introduced him to the love of his life, Almeda Josephine Whitlow. They were married on January 22, 1955, in Prague, Oklahoma.

After getting out of the Navy, he attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, majoring in mechanical engineering. He graduated and got a job at Cabot Corporation in Pampa. He and Almeda moved to Pampa in 1958. He loved his job designing oil rigs and during the 1980’s, he taught engineers from China his craft. He worked for the same company for 33 years and retired in 1991.

He was very active in his church at both Wells Street Church of Christ and Somerville Church of Christ and served as deacon and elder.

He spent many hours at his beloved “farm,” where he raised cows and horses, grew a huge garden and hosted many wiener roasts and homemade ice cream socials. He was well known for his dried ground pepper, knows as Dale and Don’s Pepper, that he took everywhere and shared with others. He was also famous for his sourdough pancakes that he made for many years at family reunions. You couldn’t visit his home without drinking coffee with him and he usually had four or five cups before you finished one.

Other hobbies included fishing, especially catching catfish on jugs, canning and taking vacations to Cabot Ranch and local lakes.  He was the kindest and most generous person. Even in his later years, everyone always commented on his warm and inviting smile.  He was a resident of Pampa for 57 years, until health issues forced him to move to Allen.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and his wife of 64 years, who died August 4, 2019.

He is survived by one son, Steve Carter and wife Ranelle of Hugoton, Kansas; one daughter, Kerri Smith of Allen; five grandchildren, Tim Carter of Nogales, Arizona, Kristen Robb and husband Mike of McKinney, Kooper Smith of Allen, Tasha Medina and husband Jarod of Hugoton, Kansas, and Kolton Decker of Olathe, Kansas; one sister-in-law, Edna Carter of Garland, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pampa Meals on Wheels, 302 E. Foster Ave, Pampa, Texas 79065.