Mary Virginia Carter

Mary Virginia Carr Carter passed away peacefully on November 7, 2022 at the age of 88. Virginia was born April 28, 1934 in Lubbock, Texas as the youngest child and only daughter of Vincent and Ruth (Warlick) Carr. She was pre-deceased by her parents, her much-loved husband and our “G-Daddy,” State Representative Bill G. Carter, her brothers and sisters-in-law, Waggoner and Ernestine Carr, Warlick and Bee Carr, Robert “Bob” and Betty Carr, and her nephew Bob Meyer.

Virginia is survived by her sons, Ken Campbell and Carr Campbell; Carr’s wife, Jennifer; Ken’s sons, Aidan and Caelan Campbell; and Carr and Jennifer’s daughter Connelly Campbell. She is also survived by her loving nieces and nephews, David Carr, D.D.S. (Diana), Robert V. Carr, M.D. (Christine), Brad Carr (Patti), Leanne Carr Meyer (Bob), Brian Carr, Ph.D. (Suzanne), Julie Carr Coffern, R.N. (Al), and many great nieces and nephews. Just as importantly, she is survived by her adored step-children, Nancy Carter Larmer (Bob), Linda Carter Pulattie (Mike), Janet Carter Lehrmann (Mike), Greg Carter, D.C. (Mollie), and Bill’s many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Virginia graduated from Lubbock High School in 1952 and Texas Tech University in 1956. At Texas Tech she was a member of Pi Beta Phi, Head Girl Cheerleader (1954-55), President of the Student Council (1955-56), Junior Favorite (1955), and Miss Texas Tech (1956). She was dedicated to Lubbock, was president of the Junior League of Lubbock (1969-70), and participated in many fundraising activities of the JLL, including the Junior League Follies. As a very young girl, and throughout her life, she was an accomplished ballet, tap, and country dancer, even earning the title “Tap Dance Queen of Lubbock.” As a result of her talent, she left Lubbock temporarily for Hollywood to work on the “Our Gang” and “The Little Rascals” short films as an extra.

Virginia began her teaching career in Canyon, Texas and finished by teaching English at Lubbock Monterey High School. She left teaching to raise her boys, and after they were older, she began a myriad of new careers, starting with Schneider Burnet and Hickman, and then Sentry Savings and Loan in Lubbock. She was then blessed to work for Representative Nolan J. “Buzz” Robnett, Jr. (District 82, Lubbock), from January 11, 1983 to August 3, 1984, and Senator John T. Montford (District 28, Lubbock), from August 6, 1984 to November 28, 1992, when she retired to support her new husband, Bill, in his work as a State Representative from Fort Worth. She was known as a “Sweetheart” of the Texas Legislature and made many life-long friends.

During her time with the Legislature, she worked between Lubbock and Austin. In 1992, after marrying Bill, she shifted to working between Fort Worth and Austin until Bill’s retirement in 2002. They then divided their time between Fort Worth and Granite Shoals, Texas. She and Bill were well-known for their dancing skills, particularly on Speaker’s Night at the Broken Spoke when the Legislature was in session.

A graveside service will be held at the Texas State Cemetery, 909 Navasota Street, Austin, Texas, on November 22, 2022 at 1 p.m. Anyone wishing to join the family in her last dance is invited. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Texas Tech University, the Texas Tech Alumni Association, or the Junior League of Lubbock.