Stephen Frank Carter

Stephen Frank Carter, cherished husband, father, and grandfather, born October 29, 1943 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, finished his time on Earth on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital at age 77. He was the son of Mabel Callendar Carter and Dr. Gipson Carter. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 44 years, Gloria Solomon Carter, his children, Amelia Carter Hunt and Stephen Solomon Carter, and his brother, Dr. Richard Carter and wife Bicki. Steve will also be fondly remembered by his son-in-law Jack Hunt and his four granddaughters for whom he wanted to change the world, Yvonne, Carter, Julia, and Adelaide. Steve began his education at Bernard Terrace Elementary and graduated from University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge. He continued his education at LSU in 1961 where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and was three-time Athlete of the Year, and served as student Government Association President in 1965. During his time at LSU Steve was also a three-year letterman on the LSU Tennis Team, two years of which he was Team Captain. After graduation, Steve went on to be commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Air Force in 1967 with an honorable discharge as a Captain in 1971. During his military career he was repeatedly recognized for outstanding achievement, including for representing the Air Force in the Lifetime Sports Competition. After his Honorable Discharge, Steve began his career with the LSU Athletic Department as Assistant Athletic Director. A few years later he added Head Coach of the LSU Tennis Team to his title. He was two-time SEC Coach of the Year and brought LSU to their first championship in 43 years. In 1979, Steve channeled his love for tennis and working with children into founding and leading Pelican Tennis Camp where over 10,000 youth from throughout the South participated in advancement of athletic and leadership skills. Steve had daily reminders of these years at camp, as warm greetings and memories came almost daily when running into former campers. He returned to LSU as an Associate Athletic Director in 1987 under then Athletic Director Joe Dean, and retired in 1996. After his retirement, Steve worked for the Olympic Games in Atlanta, was named to the University High Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame. Steve’s desire to never stop making positive change and his love for Baton Rouge led him to run for State Representative in 2007, where he was victorious and began his first term in 2008. Steve was re-elected to serve two more terms until he was term-limited. Steve’s passion made him a legislative champion for education reform and he was appointed to serve as Chairman of the Education Committee for the Louisiana House of Representatives. He was twice named Legislator of the Year by the Southwest Louisiana Chamber of Commerce. His desire for unity and dedication to the region led Steve to organize the Capital Region Legislative Delegation. The coach in Steve had a way of bringing everyone to the table and getting them on board with the common goal. In his role as Chairman of the newly-formed Delegation, Steve led the most diverse group of legislators at the capitol, continuing for over a decade. He was the first legislator to ever successfully get all of the lawmakers from the nine parish Capital Region to organize to back a legislative agenda. Steve would talk about bringing the puzzle pieces together and what that could mean for the region he loved so much. To that end, he set in motion a number of firsts that became annual events, including attending Washington DC Mardi Gras to meet with the Congressional Delegation and the CRLD pre-session meeting with the Governor. Steve greatly enjoyed the opportunity to have the members build comradery as they tackled the issues of the area. Without Steve’s leadership, many improvements of the region may not have come to fruition. During his time in the legislature, Steve was also named a Champion of Small Business and he served as a board member of the Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance, a board member for the Boys and Girls Club, and a member of the Southern Rail Commission. Steve was also a member of LSU’s National L Club. Throughout Steve’s life he had countless accomplishments, but always touted his family as his greatest achievement. He would often speak of how proud he was of the incredible mother Amelia is with her girls and the impressive talent and direction Solomon displays in his profession. He considered his wife Gloria to be his best friend in life and his sister-in-law Gladys a second wife. Steve lived a life defined by service to his community, family, and God. We are grateful for all he achieved during his years of leadership at his tennis camp, LSU, and the State Legislature. It’s clear to us that through his service, Steve succeeded in making a positive difference in the world. He left such a lasting, positive, and warm impression on so many which is a testament to how he lived his life. Steve had the heart of a servant and lead to ensure that everyone he met understood their inherent value and was equipped with the tools necessary to reach their full potential. Steve left a deep impact on us all. To be acquainted with Steve meant also having a story about him – whether it was how he made you laugh, showed you kindness, or maybe you got to be one of his breath-heads, lip-heads, turkey-breath or even a “dilly” on his ever-growing list. Nobody was a stranger to Coach Carter, he was blessed with countless friends and had nicknames for each of them. His legacy will be defined by the lives he changed, the lessons he taught, and the many friends and family he inspired every single day. Though Steve’s magic will never be replaced, we remain dedicated to honoring his memory and carrying on the love he carried, always remembering to “Spread Joy.” A private family service for Steve will be held at First Presbyterian Church. Condolences to the Carter Family may be sent to 7563 Rienzi Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70809. If you have a special memory that you would like to share with the family please forward to [email protected] The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to St. Lillian Academy in Baton Rouge.