Earl Henry Carter

Services for Earl Henry Carter, 89, of Chesterland, will be at 12 Noon on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at Davis-Babcock Funeral Home, 4154 Clark Avenue, Willoughby.

Mr. Carter passed away Saturday, January 12, 2013 at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights.

Born May 28, 1923 in Cleveland, he has lived in Chesterland for the past 22 years.

He attended East Technical High School in Cleveland and Gulf Radio School in New Orleans, LA. During World War II, he served as a radio officer aboard ships of the United States Merchant Marine, earning the Merchant Marine combat bar, the Atlantic War Zone Bar, the Mediterranean/Middle East War Zone Bar and the Pacific War Zone Bar. After Operation Desert Shield, there was a shortage of radio officers and he returned to sea for several months a year, from 1991-1995.

He was a member of Heights-Lion Heart Lodge 633 Free and Accepted Masons, Al Koran Shrine, Scottish Rite Valley of Cleveland, Eagle Shrine, Order of the Eastern Star Willoughby Chapter 202 and the Sojourners International.

He was also a member of the American Merchant Marine Veterans, an amateur radio operator, since the age of 16 with call letters W4EU; the Quarter Century Wireless Association; the Society of Wireless Pioneers, Veteran Wireless Operators Association, the American Radio Relay League. He also enjoyed flying and motorcycling.

Mr. Carter was the founder and owner of Carter Radio and Television in South Euclid from 1945-1952. In 1952 he moved to Florida and opened Miami Springs Hardware which he operated until 1984 when he retired and returned to Ohio.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Mary (Scoleri) Carter; sons, Bruce (Shirley) Carter of Pierson, FL and Henry (Pam) Carter of Lafayette, LA; grandchildren, Patricia (Charlie) Valencia, Bruce Carter, Jr., Brian Carter and Cyndi (Paul) Rhodes and three great grandchildren. He also leaves many nieces and nephews and their families as well as friends and neighbors and his faithful pets, Miss Kitty and Sparky.

He was preceded in death by his daughters, Sally and Joan and his parents, Henry and Katherine (Stack) Carter.

The family will receive friends from 10 AM until 12 noon on Thursday at the funeral home. Brethren of Heights-Lion Heart Lodge 633 will conduct Masonic services at 11:45 AM. Final resting place will be in Gates Mills North Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to the 32nd Degree Masonic Learning Center, 3616 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.