I’m sorry to hear about Ken’s death. I loved teaching with Ken at Wheeling High School and at Hersey when it opened. I was intramural director at Hersey when Ken was athletic director. He was so cooperative and encouraging that it made my job very enjoyable. 
I lived in Mt Prospect not too far from Ken and Sue.  One morning I needed a ride to school so I called Ken. Of course he would always help a friend so he picked me up. We were riding along, and I looked down at my feet and I could see the ground passing below me through the hole in the floor board. It startled me for a minute, but such were the times of a young teacher even in district 214. 
Lee Smith

I can NEVER thank Ken enough for the joy he brought to my life. He hired me to come to Hersey and then as Girls Athletic Director teaming up with he and Lola for 10 years.  I couldn’t wait to get to our office every day to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere where all were welcome and so many joyous moments were shared with coaches, athletes and just laughing as friends as we tried to reschedule a rainout or enter a tourney or work on schedules.  It was NEVER work…and was always SO much fun being together. One day I opened my desk drawer where I had left snacks to have between school and contests and out jumps a mouse.  Lola SHRIEKED and climbed on top of her desk...Ken walked in just then, perused the situation, smiled, turned around and walked out, shoulders shaking with laughter as Lola gave me "the business" for leaving food in my drawer. Took awhile for me to get her down off the desk and promise NEVER to leave food in there again. 
Ken always told me “Anni, thank goodness for girls athletics…we get half the money” and reminding me that “my full court days were over”.  Tirelessly he gave his time, expertise, and wisdom to us all. My greatest accomplishment at JHHS was initiating and overseeing the process to name the gym after him…such a deserved honor and so wonderful to watch him share it with his beloved family.  I was truly lucky to be one of the thousands of lives he influenced and made better just by being around him…he was my friend.  And he and Sue were always so welcoming when visiting him in AZ or in Mt Prospect. There will always be a hole in my heart with him gone…but NEVER forgotten. With warmest respect and love, Anni Penstone.

Ken was the AD at Hersey in my early years as the Athletic Trainer at Prospect.  Always pleasant and easy to work with, one of the great AD mentors of that era in District 214.  Condolences to his family in this time of loss.

The Messer family has many memories of Ken, which include watching games, wrestling meets and just hashing over life in general.  He was extraordinarily supportive to all of our kids, Steve, Sue, Tom, Jimmy and Jeannie, while students at Hersey High School.  Little did we know one of our children, Steve, would ultimately follow in Ken's role and would also become the Athletic Director at JHHS.  Martha was fortunate to serve on the staff as the school nurse.  Finally Ken invented an award for The Messer family due to the many years of their participation  in activities and presented it to us at one of the athletic banquets. Another connection was through his wonderful wife Sue and her great work with our kids in District 23.  Not to be forgotten is Ken and Sue's daughter, Jeannie being in my science class at Wheeling High School. Ken would alway tease about us trying to get his daughter lost when we faced a sudden snow storm on an ecology trip in Colorado. Fond memories for a one of a kind guy.  God's Blessings.  Jim and Martha Messer

Coach Carter was a wonderful man, I played basketball for him in my freshman year at Hersey in 1970. He was a great coach, patient and caring. He was always very kind to me. I called him recently about a year or two ago, and he remembered me without me telling him who I was. I told him the year, and he picked me right out. Amazing he should have remembered me after all the years and all of the other people that came after me at Hersey. 
He was the kind of person you would expect to be in your lifetime of memories growing up.  It was an honor to have known him.
R.I.P. Coach

What a great man. I graduated from JHHS in 1977. He was AD then.  Whenever I would come back to the school very often I would see him (in the gym). He always remembered me and always asked about my family and my job. My condolences to the family. He will be missed. Rest In Peace Coach Carter.

Ken was one of the original members of our coaches golf Tour and usually the best golfer in our group. He was a very enjoyable and helpful player to be in your foursome. He will be missed by all of us coaches that knew him. RIP

OBITUARY

Kenneth A. Carter

May 26, 1936 – March 27, 2024

Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home

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