Funeral Service for SGM (Retired) James A. Carter will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 23, 2018 at New Post Chapel, Fort Sill with Chaplain (COL) Jimmy Nichols of Fort Sill officiating.

Burial with full military honors will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The family will greet friends from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, July 22, 2018 at the funeral home.

SGM (Retired) James Archie Carter, 89, joined his Bride Irmgard Carter in Heaven on Monday, July 16, 2018.  He was born on October 13, 1928 in Person County, North Carolina to James Henry and Annie Elma (Swann) Carter.  He attended elementary school in Person and Caswell Counties, and attended high school in Yanceyville, North Carolina.  Following graduation, he was accepted to North Carolina A&T State University.  After completing one year of studies, life took a turn and he was drafted into the United States Army on November 3, 1950, and served with distinction for 30 years.  His stateside travels took him to Camp Polk, Fort Gordon, Fort Knox, Fort Ord, Fort Monmouth and Fort Sill, where he retired on June 1, 1980. Military awards received were: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), Good Conduct Medal Ninth Award, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Vietnam Service Medal with Five Service Stars, Two Overseas Service Bars, German Army Marksmanship Award in Bronze, Expert (rifle M-16), Expert (Carbine), Sharpshooter (rifle M-14), and Marksman (pistol .45). He completed two tours overseas in Germany, and during his first tour he met Irmgard.  They were married on January 7, 1956 and returned to the United States in 1956 with baby boy James Edgar. While stationed in Fort Ord, they had two more children, Mario Archie and Linda Loretta.  His final tours before calling Lawton his home were to Anchorage, Alaska and South Vietnam.  After settling in Lawton, he and Irmgard had one more child Amanda Rebecca. After retirement, he continued to work with the soldiers at Fort Sill in Civil Service for the next ten years as a Senior Training Specialist and finished what he started 34 years ago, his college education.  In 1983, he earned his Bachelor's Degree at Cameron University in Sociology and an Associate's Degree in Technology. For the next 26 years, he and Irmgard lived in Snyder in a house they built on 10 acres of land. Going back to his Carolina roots, he enjoyed raising cows and gardening, while operating a television repair shop for the locals. The two of them returned to Lawton in 2013 where they lived out their remaining years in a community they both loved. During his entire adult life he cheerfully served his church and community in many ways.

His survivors include his two sons, James E. Carter of Charleston, SC, Mario A. Carter and wife Shari Atkinson of Del City, OK, two daughters, Linda L. Carter of Decatur, GA, Amanda R. Carter of Lawton, OK; two grandchildren, Sarah Spann Dennard and husband Darrius Dennard of Decatur, GA and Kendall J. Metoyer of Kennesaw, GA.  He is also survived by his sister Ruth Carter of Baltimore, MD, brother Warner Carter of Buffalo, NY, sister Annie Davis of Buffalo, NY.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and eight siblings.

Memorial contributions can be made to the LaSill Optimist Club, 2113 SW Monroe Ave., Lawton, OK 73501.