Frank Joseph Carter Obituary
With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Frank Joseph Carter (Port Aransas, Texas), who passed away on September 27, 2018 at the age of 99. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.
He is survived by : his parents, Henry Champe "H. C." Carter and Aline Badger Carter; and his grandparent Rawleigh Downman Carter.
As a fire controlman, Frank was directing two 5" anti-aircraft turrets, also used for shore bombardment, on the starboard side of the ship. Frank acted both as a Gun Rangefinder Operator and Spotter. His post was on the front center of the ship, right above the bridge where Admiral Halsey, Admiral Spruance, or even Admiral Nimitz and staff ran the operations of the fleet. Thus, The USS New Jersey served as the flag ship of the fleet. While in the Pacific Theater of WWII, Frank served admirably in military engagements such as Kwajalein, Truk Attol, Caroline Islands, Palau, New Guinea, Saipan, Marianas, Philippines, Formosa (Taiwan), Battle of Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. During these battles he and his ship mates faced attack from enemy planes, ships, and the terrifying kamikaze attacks. Frank was witness to the kamikaze planes that crashed into US warships including aircraft carriers USS Enterprise, USS Bunker Hill, and USS Franklin. The ship and fleet were also caught in horrors of two powerful typhoons. Frank took part in shore leave in Tokyo and witnessed the devastation of the air bombardment from our B29 super fortresses. After the surrender of Japan, he was transferred to the USS Lexington for transport back to the USA, at trans-pacific journey that ended in San Francisco. Back home in San Antonio Frank worked for the National Bank of Commerce. He started as a runner, but over time he was a member of the team that was one of the first in the country to put a bank on an automated computer system. They utilized some of the first IBM main frames. Frank retired to his family's property in Port Aransas. There Frank oversaw the care of his mother's beloved little Chapel on the Dunes, the first consecrated church on the island. Frank had many fond memories at the chapel as a child where, along with his brothers and other island children, he would listen to his mother tell Bible stories and then have cake with ice cream up on the chapel dunes. While retired, Frank managed his rental properties and enjoyed the gulf and fishing on his treasured boats El-Jefe and My Toy. He also cared for his horse Satellite, roamed the golf greens with his dear friends Buzz McKinney & Charlie Brown, and visited to his cousins, the "McCullough Girls", in Corpus Christi. Frank was a lover of dogs. They meant everything to him. He would frequently be seen walking, or pulled by, one of his dogs around the island well into his 90s. Frank survived being caught in Hurricane Celia in 1970. He was stranded in his car on the side of the road between Aransas Pass and Rockport after he left Port Aransas to check on a friend's property on his way home. After a few more evacuations and near misses, Frank and Vinton stayed in Port Aransas in his house through Hurricane Harvey in 2017. After so many gulf hurricanes and the typhoons of WWII, Frank said that he was "not impressed" with Harvey and went to bed halfway through the storm. Frank was a sports enthusiast. He competitively participated in the local softball league with fiery grit, and always played to win. Golf was one of the loves of his life, but the Dallas Cowboys were the center of his world. Frank was able to take care of himself until he was 97 years old, at which time he was not able to renew his driver's license. With the help of family and friends, Frank managed to live alone at home until right before his 99th birthday, at which time he entered assisted living for the last months of his life. He passed peacefully in his sleep in the afternoon without pain. Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Aline and H.C. Carter, his brothers Champe and David, his half-sisters Mary Louise and Ella, and his half-brothers Goodwyn and Randolph. Frank is survived by Vinton & Theresa James IV whom he considered like a son, his grandson Vinton & Hailey James, and granddaughter Tarah & Lawrence Philip. He is survived by his niece Marline & Clint Lawson, and nephew Paul B. Carter and six grandnieces and grandnephews Zachry Brown (and wife Mimi), Aline Copp (and husband Josh), Andrea Brooks (and husband William), Carter Brown, Sarah Owens (and husband Samuel), Marie Mays (and husband Ryan), great grandniece Leigh and Ella and great grandnephews Badger and Henry, and numerous cousins. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either the Port Aransas Museum at PAPHA, PO Box 677, Port Aransas, TX 78373 or the Ellis Memorial Library at Friends of the Ellis Memorial Library, PO Box 11, Port Aransas, TX 78373.
