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“To be able to smile in the storm
To be useful and careful and consistent in
Prayer
To be cautious to do no one harm
To be useful and wanted, to live everyday
That whenever the bell tolls for you
You’ll be happy to say though my end is at hand
I’ve done all the good I could do.”
The above words adequately reflect the life of Mrs. Ruth G. Carter, beloved wife of the Reverend George W. Carter.
Mrs. Carter a resident of New Orleans died in Houston, Texas, where she had lived for the past three years.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, she moved at an early age to Atlanta, Georgia where she was reared on the campus of Gammon Theological Seminary as the foster daughter of the late Bishop and Mrs. J. W. E. Bowen, Sr. Dr. Bowen at the time was president of Gammon. She married Reverend George W. Carter following her graduation from Clark College.
Mrs. Carter was actively involved in Christian work in the California-Arizona Confer-ence, the Delaware Conference and her native Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church where her late husband held pastorates. She was a member of the task group that planned the organization of the Women’s Society of Christian (WSCS) and served as the second president of the Central Jurisdiction WSCS. She moved to this office seasoned and experienced in mission work having served with the Women’s Division, president of the Louisiana Confer-ence WSCS and as the first secretary of the youth work.
This dedicated woman remained active in the life of the United Methodist Church. Following merger of the two Louisiana Conferences she continued her involvement in the women’s work on the local and district levels.
She was able to transcend color and related to each person in a spirit of love and understanding. The women of the New Orleans-Houma district recognized this quality in her and elected her the president of the New Orleans-Houma District United Methodist Women (UMW), a position she held prior to her sudden illness and death.
Mrs. Carter was very active in her local church, First Street United Methodist, where her husband held his last pastorate. She served as chairperson of the Council on Ministries, with her sagacious mind counseled the young ministers that elevated to the Pastoral ministry of the church. While she was a member her constant words of wisdom were,
“Get as much additional training as you can to be fully prepared
To serve in the United Methodist Church in the future.”
She volunteered her service whenever she felt an assignment had to be done, or a meeting to be attended, at her own expense. She lived a faithful and fruitful life until the end. She leaves for her daughter a beautiful heritage of the Christian way of life, values and ideals that can be kept alive in her heart. Christianity does not exempt one from one death; it only inspires triumph over death.
“Servant of God, well done;
Thy glorious warfare’s past;
The battle’s fought, the race is won
And thou art crowned at last.”
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