Wade Carter

San Antonio Wade VanBuren Carter Jr., left this life to be with his sweetheart on January 6, 2012. Van the name he preferred was born on February 11, 1931 in High Point, North Carolina to parents, Wade VanBuren Carter and Ida Lee Parrish. Van married his sweetheart Marilyn Ray Hansen of Galveston, Texas, on February 21, 1957 at the Balboa Union Church in the former Canal Zone of Panama. They celebrated 54 years of marriage together.

Van completed schooling and enlisted in the Air Force at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina on September 4, 1947. During his service out of Scott AFB, Illinois, he received commendations for participation in the Berlin Airlift in Germany, and later also served with commendation for Air and Sea Rescue with the 2156th Air Rescue Unit. He was honorably discharged from active duty at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida on September 3, 1951.

Van was stationed in the former Canal Zone of Panama at the end of his Air Force service, and then chose to move there where he served as a Firefighter with Local 13. He worked for the Panama Canal, Miraflores Division as a Locomotive Operator, until the family moved stateside in 1977 to Kerrville, Texas. Van also trained with H R Block for tax preparation services, which he continued with for many years. While in Panama, Van enjoyed the adventures of deep sea fishing in the Pacific and Atlantic, and fresh water fishing and boating on Gamboa Lake. He loved flying as a private pilot on his Cessna and Piper airplanes, traveling with Marilyn to neighboring countries throughout Central and South America and to the U.S. Most of all, he loved flying to his beloved Cerro Punta in the Chiriqui mountains, where the family enjoyed their cabin along the Chiriqui River. Both Van and Marilyn were explorers of the entire country of Panama, and could be found making frequent excursions to rivers, beaches, jungles, Indian villages, and to the surrounding islands of the Perlas or San Blas.

Following his retirement Van enjoyed participation in the International Association of Lions Clubs, volunteer work for a local Lutheran Church, gardening, travel, and photography. He along with his wife Marilyn have left their family a wonderful legacy of photographs, videos and commemorative items of their life together dating back to the year they met.

Van is survived by stepbrother, Larry Carter daughter, Renee Elizabeth Carter Collins son, Wade VanBuren Carter III daughter, Kim Faye Carter Baird daughter, Vanette Ray Carter grandchildren, Elizabeth Ray Collins Christensen, Christopher Wade Collins, Christina Renee Collins Mlaker, Michele Lee Collins Macfarlane, Lauren Pettit Collins, Rebecca Ray Baird Donnelly, John Anderson Baird II, Joan Allison Baird Christensen, Katherine Hansen Baird, William Carter Baird, Vanessa Ray Dutchover Thetford, Joseph Little Hawk Dutchover, Jennifer Renee Dutchover, Deiderich Anton Dutchover, and 11 greatgrandchildren. Van is preceded in death by his parents, and his wife Marilyn.

ation will be held Wednesday, January 11, 2012 from 11 AM to 1 PM at Kerrville Funeral Home, with Graveside Services following at 3 PM at Garden of Memories Cemetery, Kerrville, Texas.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Kerrville Funeral Home. 830 8955111

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