Kenneth Carter

Kenneth E. Carter, 92, Olathe, KS passed away Sunday, May 24, 2015.

Ken was born in Columbus, NE and had lived in Olathe, KS since 1975. He spent most of his early years growing up in Columbus. At age seventeen, and with his mother's permission, he joined the Nebraska National Guard. Ken was called to US Army active duty in December,1940 and first went overseas in November, 1942. During WWII he served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Austria, France and Germany. He was assigned to the 56th Medical Battalion which became known as the "D-day medics" being one of the few medical battalions who claimed four beachhead operations. He was commissioned as second lieutenant in February, 1944 while serving in Italy and promoted to first lieutenant in February, 1945. He held the European-African-Middle Eastern theater ribbon with six bronze battle participation stars, the Bronze Arrowhead, the pre-Pearl Harbor ribbon and the Good Conduct medal.

After the war, he returned to Columbus staying close to home while working for the railroad, but later traveled to South and North Carolina and Florida on construction jobs. He was owner-operator of a restaurant in Athens, TN, and a trucking business and restaurant in Columbus, NE. He worked for Cudahy meat packing business in Omaha,NE and Minneapolis, MN and spent time in California selling fishing tackle. He moved back to Omaha where he worked as a trucker for Buckingham Trucking Co. While in Omaha, Ken found his calling when he began a career as a manufacturer's sales representative with organizations who sold various hunting and fishing tackle products. He moved to Olathe in 1975 where he continued his sales career. In this line of work he truly excelled and gained enormous respect from his clients and colleagues in the industry. He received numerous honors and awards for outstanding sales with his rep organizations.

Naturally,Ken loved to spend time fishing and hunting with friends and family, especially fishing with his granddaughters and great grandkids. Other pastimes included skeet and trap shooting, shotgun shell reloading, custom fishing rod construction, making fishing lures, playing pool and card games, loving his bird dogs, gardening, visiting with friends at the Olathe Family YMCA and watching Kansas sports events on TV. He served as President of the Olathe Community Sportsman's Club and the Olathe Annual Kid's Fishing Derby. He was a member and volunteer at Grace United Methodist Church and a volunteer for the Fleet Reserve Clothing Program.

He was married 61 years to the late Bernice (Pitts) Carter originally of Hebron, NE, He is survived by daughter and her husband, Carolyn and Kim Erickson, Norman, OK, two granddaughters and their families, Jennifer Parsons, Dallas, TX and her children Austin and Aidan, Denver, CO and Kristin and Heath Strayhan and their children, Zoe, Emma, and Logan.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Grace United Methodist Church or the Wounded Warriors Project.


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