Connie grew up in Rogers, Arkansas and graduated from the Rogers High School in 1963. After graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, Rodney Carter. She continued with her education at College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas and graduated with a BA in Education from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Connie went on to receive her Master’s Degree in 1974 from Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas.
Rodney and Connie came back to Rogers, Arkansas where she taught for a year before they moved to Amarillo, Texas. During her career she taught in Big Spring, Texas, Denison, Texas, Waco-Midway, Waco, Texas, Bartlet, Texas, and Bruceville-Eddy, Texas. Connie taught grades 2-6, but liked teaching the 2nd grade age the best. After 31 years of teaching, she retired in 2001.
The Carters moved back to Arkansas in 2004 and built a home in Madison County. She loved to garden and cultivated dozens of flowering plants at their mountain home. She loved animals and cared for many rescued cats and dogs.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Jerry Hickman.
Connie is survived by her husband of 59 years, Rodney Carter of Rogers, Arkansas; daughter, Ronda (Darrell) Vandergriff of Leesburg, Florida; and son, Robert (Jamie) Carter of Belize City, Belize; sister, Marie (Tommy) Easterling of Farmington, Arkansas; sister-in-law, Jeanne Hickman of Rogers Arkansas; 6 grandchildren; and 9 great grandchildren.
