Calvin Wallace Carter

Calvin Wallace Carter died at the age of 86 on Saturday, August 14, 2021, at his summer cottage in Clayton, NY. The son of Emily Cleveland Carter and Oscar Hubert Carter, Calvin was born on December 10, 1934 in Tampa where he attended Gorrie Elementary School, Roosevelt Elementary School, Wilson Junior High School and H.B. Plant High School (Class of 1953). He also attended the University of Florida where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity before his military service in the U.S. Army. His business life for 50 years was dedicated to property and casualty insurance, which included ownership of O.H. Carter Company, First Southern Insurance Company, and Carter Insurance Group. He served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents and on the Advertising Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents of America. Calvin was appointed by the President of the United States to serve as Vice Chair of the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. He was appointed to the Hillsborough County Civil Service Board, City of Tampa Variance Zoning Commission, and the Arts Council of Tampa-Hillsborough County. He served on the original planning committee, the first Board of Trustees, and later on the Operating Board of Directors of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center). He served as a Board member of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Museum of Art, American Cancer Society and the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. Calvin was past President/Chair of the following: Merchants Association of Florida, Tampa Bay Art Center, Florida Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization, Tampa Citizens Safety Council, Traffic Courts of Tampa Drivers Improvement School, and Independent Insurance Agents of Greater Tampa, which, with the City of Tampa, built Safety Village USA at Lowry Park. He was the recipient of Tampa Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Man of the Year award, the President’s Award from the Tampa Chamber of Commerce, and the Governor’s Award for his efforts to promote historic preservation in Florida. He was chosen as honoree at the Vizcayans’ Annual Ball in Miami and was supportive of Tampa Preservation, Inc. He was a member of the University Club, Tampa Exchange Club, Merrymakers, and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, where he was a courtier. Throughout his life, Calvin enjoyed antique cars, power boating, and sportfishing. In his later years, he returned to his love of antique and classic wooden boats, which began at age 12 when he bought his first hydroplane boat. After retiring, he enjoyed boating up the East Coast of North America and through the Bahamas. He became involved with the American Boat Museum and was chosen to serve on its International Council; he was also a member of the Antique and Classic Boat Society's Thousand Islands and Sunnyland chapters. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Patricia Robson Carter, his daughter Callan Carter and son-in-law Johnny Welch of San Francisco, CA, his son Calvin Carter, Jr. and daughter-in-law Kelly Burr Carter and their daughters Kellan Carter and Caden Carter of Dallas, TX. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Oscar Hubert Carter, Jr. and Frank Cleveland Carter. A celebration of life will be held at the Tampa Yacht and Country Club on Saturday, August 28, 2021 from 5pm to 7pm. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that donations be made to the Tampa Museum of Art or the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts.