Edna Pritchett Carter

Edna lived in Birmingham until one year old, then lived in Scottsboro, ALA until two years old. From there they moved to the farm in Bullock County, ALA, the same area where her parents grew up. She lived there until 12 years old, with her dogs and horse as companions since she was an only child. When her dad started to work for the state, they moved back to Scottsboro, then to Selma and Birmingham. After her dad changed jobs to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority, they lived in Knoxville, TN and Benton, KY, finally moving back to Birmingham in 1944. The longest stay of all of these moves was eleven months but she enjoyed moving around and made friends quickly in each location. At 16 she adopted Philippians 4:13 as her motto and tried to live by it all of her life. (“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13)

Edna was active in the local Baptist churches and their mission activities. She began teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at age 18 and continued until her eyesight required giving it up at age 82.

She attended and graduated from Judson College in Marion, ALA, an SBC girl’s college, majoring in both art and religious education with minors in history and child psychology.

She met Percy Capell Carter at church the summer after her freshman year at college and they married the year she graduated. She taught school for four years until the first of their two sons were born: Thomas Edward. Jefferey Alan followed 2 years later.

In Birmingham she was PTA president, college alumni chapter president and taught one year at the elementary school the boys were attending just before Percy was transferred to Pittsburgh, PA in 1964.

They arrived in Pittsburgh when Southern Baptist work was beginning in western Pennsylvania. She served there as a Bible teacher, Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) director and chairman of the state Missions Committee. She also sang in the church choir. Her love was for missions and mission work.

In 1970 she began a 15 year teaching career in the North Allegheny School District of Pittsburgh, teaching 7th and 8th grade art. She had some of her art work exhibited in shows in Alabama and Pittsburgh. In 1985 they followed their sons to California, settling in Escondido and enjoyed serving at Bethel Baptist Church and helping as their grandchildren grew up. At Bethel she served as WMU director and as a Sunday School teacher until her eyesight made it too difficult. She and Percy also served for extended periods several years as volunteer home missionaries in Colorado, Arizona and Pennsylvania.

In the beginning 2022, Edna suffered a bad fall and broke her hip. The injury led to Sepsis and needing significantly more care. She and Percy decided to move with her son and daughter-in-law to an Assisted Living facility in Vancouver, WA, near family. She was able to interact and get to know some of her great grandchildren while there. Her mental and physical condition declined gradually at first but then accelerated due to another fall in early 2023. Percy attended to her faithfully, signaling for help when needed and being there for moral support when she wasn’t sure where she was or why. She spent the last week or two in hospice care and died peacefully in her sleep on August 22, 2023.

Edna leaves a legacy in her husband Percy, two sons and two daughter-in-laws, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She was an integral part of their lives and the people they are today. She lived a full life and will be missed but they know she has left her suffering behind and is now in a much better place.

For a brief slideshow of Edna's life go to https://youtu.be/BC8fUJD7U44?si=vfgF3UuajesSK2Wb