Charles Arlin Carter

Charles Arlin Carter was welcomed into the presence of his Savior on Christmas Eve.

Charles Arlin Carter born to Charlie and Ozella Carter on the family farm in the Bloomo community of Neshoba County, Mississippi on July 19, 1923 and is still known there as Arlin. Arlin excelled academically and at basketball, and graduated from Bloomo High School at age 16. To save money for college, he drove a rolling store for a year before beginning college at East Central Junior College. While at East Central, he worked in the campus bookstore and played guitar and harmonica in a band entertaining at Barn Dances.

Upon graduation in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and began his training as an infantryman at Ft. McClellan and within a year was sent to Officer Candidate School. Upon graduation from OCS, 2nd Lt. Carter was stationed at Camp Maxey, Texas, training soldiers for combat in the European and Pacific theaters.

At the end of the war, Charles returned to Mississippi and enrolled at Ole Miss as an Accounting student, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Accounting in May of 1948. Within 3 months, he had earned a Masters in Accounting, and passed all parts of the CPA exam, and was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant. While an undergraduate, he was employed as an Assistant Purchasing Agent. He was smitten upon first sight with a beautiful girl in the office next door. After mustering the nerve to ask her out, he hitchhiked 150 miles to Bloomo to borrow his dad’s truck. He drove it back to Oxford to escort that beautiful girl, Sue Haney of Oxford, to the picture show.

Charles enrolled in Law School at Ole Miss and taught undergraduate accounting. One semester shy of graduation, Charles was recalled to active duty at the onset of the Korean War. He was promoted to 1St Lt and assigned as commanding officer to a quartermaster company tasked with provisioning 20,000 combat soldiers. At the end of the war, Charles returned to Mississippi, and married Sue in 1952.

Charles and Sue moved to Jackson where Charles began his Law practice. Two sons, Brad and David, came along within a few years. During this time, Charles accepted the Chairmanship of Bankers Trust Saving and Loan. Under his leadership, Bankers Trust grew from a single office to the second largest S&L in Mississippi, with 53 offices across the state. This success was met with litigation and persecution. Charles was eventually vindicated, but was financially ruined. In a stellar career, this was his only, but nonetheless overwhelming loss, and was compounded by devastation of the family home in the Easter Flood of 1979. The eternal optimist then embarked on a 12-year engagement as Executive Vice President of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, where he joined his friend, Rev. Frank Pollard, the incoming President. Frank handled all things theological and Charles handled the business.

Charles greatly enjoyed snow skiing, a sport he first tried in the army while stationed in Germany. About 20 years later, Charles took his sons on the first of many ski trips to Utah and then he began a 15 year stretch of taking his grandson Philip, and then annual trips with younger grandchildren Jordan, Jacquelyn, Eli and Noah. His last ski trip was a few months before his 89th birthday.

In 1991, Charles and Sue returned to Mississippi and became residents at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison. Charles resumed his law practice and continued to serve as a consultant to Golden Gate Seminary. By this time, Sue was suffering from the progression of Alzheimer’s. Charles continued to care for Sue, feeding her, combing her hair, painting her nails, and brushing her teeth. Charles continued to lovingly and patiently care for Sue until her death in 1997.

Charles and grandson Philip also were traveling buddies on a mission trip to Russia in 1997 and toured several eastern European countries; just going where their Eurail passes would take them.

Charles’ last day of active law practice was on his 90th birthday, when he appeared in Chancery Court on an estate matter.

In 2004, Charles married Doris Hudgens, whom he met in the Reflections Choir at First Baptist. Doris resided in a nursing home near her family in St. Louis from 2018 until her death in October, 2020.

Charles was a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson, and served in numerous capacities, including: deacon, Sunday School teacher, and membership on various committees, including pastor search committees. His Christian faith was not just a set of beliefs, but a lifestyle that he lived out daily, as he led and served in his family, his community and his church.

Charles Arlin Carter is survived by two sons, Charles Bradley Carter (Sherron) and David Carter (Kathryn). Charles Arlin is also survived by grandchildren Philip Charles Carter(Shea), Jacquelyn Ciera Link, Jordan Claire Carter, Noah Warren Carter and Eli Arlin Carter. Charles is also survived by a sister Sammie Jean Fulton Sharp and many nieces and nephews. Charles was predeceased by his sister Juanita Carter Fulton.

Serving as Pallbearers are Charles Arlin’s grandsons Philip Carter, Noah Carter, Eli Carter, his great nephews Al Lucas and Andrew Alford and longtime family friend Alan Moak.

The family will receive friends at Parkway Funeral Home at 1161 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS on Wednesday Dec 30. Visitation will be from 10am-12 noon with the funeral service to follow. Socially distanced measures will be taken.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to First Baptist Church-Jackson, or Gateway Seminary (formerly Golden Gate), Phoenix, AZ.