Carter

“She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

—Proverbs 31

GIDDINGS—Irene “Janie” (Anderson) Carter entered this world on Aug. 18, 1934, in Galva, Iowa, the daughter of Olaf Anderson and Pearl (Kasper) Zaklan Anderson. The family moved to La Grande, Oregon in 1938.

Following her mother’s death in 1947, the children were divided among relatives and Janie went to live with her sister, Jo Whaley.

After graduating from Hermiston High School in Hermiston, Oregon, in 1952, she moved to Camp Roberts in California to be near her sister, Midge.

It was here that she met and instantly fell in love with James “Jim” David Carter from Fort Worth. They were soon married on Nov. 26, 1952, and were blessed with five children, Kathleen, Frances, David, Marjorie, and James.

After basic training, Jim was stationed in Baltimore, Maryland, where Janie worked at a factory. Jim was then transferred to Dallas, where Janie worked as a waitress and attended a business college.

After being discharged from the service, Jim and Janie moved to College Station, where Jim completed his degree at Texas A&M. Jim’s career moved the family often. Janie always made each place they lived feel like home. Through the years, they made their home in Marshall, Pullman, Washington, Morgan, Millsap, Mineral Wells, Waco, Irving, Rockdale and Trinidad. She and Jim finally moved to Giddings in 1999, after retiring, to be closer to their children.

Janie was a dedicated wife and mother who loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She enjoyed maintaining her hummingbird and bird feeders and delighted in reading Christian romance novels as a past time. She always considered family meals a priority and insisted on a hearty breakfast that concluded each morning with a Bible reading and prayer to start the day off right.

She was a natural caregiver who willingly took care of elderly family members both in Oregon and Texas.

Janie demonstrated her faith and followed Christ’s charge to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” in many ways. Always an active member of the churches of which she and Jim were members of, Janie served as a Sunday school teacher for over 40 years, taught vacation bible school, and sang in the choir.

She and Jim were huge supporters of the Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box Ministry and the Gideon Bible Ministry.

Always faithful, strong willed, and determined, Janie endured the loss of her mother at an early age, survived an automobile accident that took their daughter Kathy’s life in 1968 and health issues including being a breast cancer survivor for the past 22 years and never wavered in her faith or her belief that everything was in God’s hands. She will be remembered for that unwavering faith, her love for her family, and her work to spread the Gospel to others.

Having reached the age of 87 years, Janie peacefully slipped away from this world during the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at Bec’s Blessings in Giddings.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Pearl and Olaf Anderson; her husband, Jim Carter; her daughter, Kathleen Jo Carter; her in-laws, Frank and Almarine Carter; her son-in-law, Charles Debney,; and her six brothers and sisters, Steve and Jane Zaklan, Mary and Floyd Dominick, Jo and Jim Whaley, Art and Ginger Zaklan, Bob and Shirley Zaklan, and Chuck and Velma Anderson.

Janie leaves behind her four children, Fran Pitts and husband Tim of Giddings, David Carter and wife Tammy of Rockdale, Margie Debney Kaemmerling and husband Russ of Bryan, and Jimmy Carter and wife Vicki of Rockdale; her eight grandchildren, Dana Kipp and husband Paul of Ledbetter, Steve Pitts and wife Christi of Giddings, Karl Debney and wife Beth of Odessa, Charles “Chuck” Debney and wife Kacy of San Antonio, Jaime Wuebker and husband Brian of Chilton, Joe Carter and wife Kristi of Milano, Ashley Carter, and Dylan Carter of Los Angeles, California; fifteen great-grandchildren, Hannah Ullrich and husband Hunter of Giddings, Grayson Kipp of Ledbetter, Bayley and Daylin Pitts of Giddings, Caylee, Raelyn, Bryson, and Dastyn Debney all of Odessa, Cade, Ace, and Sky Debney of San Antonio, Nick and Nate Wuebker, both of Chilton, and Reese and Lainey Jo Carter, both of Milano; one great-great-granddaughter, Addison Ullrich of Giddings; her two sisters, Midge Mink of Ontario, Oregon, and Charlotte Hilner of Canyonville, Oregon; as well as many other family and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings with Pastor Lance Walch officiating. Burial will follow in the Ledbetter Cemetery in Ledbetter.

Following the service at the cemetery, the family invites everyone to join them for a reception and lunch at the Ledbetter Fire Department’s Community Center.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as on Thursday, November 18, 2021 from 7 to 10 a.m. The family will be present for visitation Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m.

Serving as pallbearers will be Steve Pitts, Karl Debney, Chuck Debney, Joe Carter, Dylan Carter, Grayson Kipp and Hunter Ullrich.

Memorials may be made to Shoe Box Ministry at Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child, P.O. Box 3000 Boone, NC 28607 or to the charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home Giddings.