Michael Richard Carter husband, father, grandfather and brother, who was in excellent health, passed unexpectedly due to a fall at his home that resulted in a spinal injury.  He died on May 7, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 79.  His final puzzle is significant…

Michael was born to Richard Lavern Carter and Ruth Carter on April 19, 1945 in Santa Ana California.  He grew up in Montana with his father working for the Forest Service.  He was the oldest of the seven children in his family.  He is survived by all of his siblings; Ann Band, Linda Jay, Nancy Joscelyn, Jean Carter, and Bruce Carter.  Growing up he enjoyed building things and reading.  He is survived by his wife of 57 years Vickie Ann Collins, who he married on March 18, 1967 in Billings Montana.  He is survived by his two sons; Craig Michael Carter, and Tyler John Carter who also live in Phoenix close to Michael and Vickie, both of the sons are married with children.  Michael retired 10 years ago, and has enjoyed these years immensely, stating “the best decade of my life!”.  He enjoyed family gatherings and especially enjoyed his grandchildren Benjamin and Joshua (from Craig and Cristina Carter) and Cosette and Remy (from Tyler and Merilee Carter).  In addition to enjoying his family, his major hobbies were desert runs and reading.

Michael loved to organize the world around him.  He was an analyst throughout his career in manufacturing, wood products, consulting, and ended his career as a finance analyst for World Vision.  Educationally receiving a BS in Civil Engineering and a MS in Industrial Engineering from Montana State University.  It was in college he met Vickie at a dance, fell in love, and they were married.  His first job out of college was with General Electric that moved them to many places around the US, from Massachusetts to Oregon, finally settling in Columbia Falls, Montana working for Plum Creek Timber where he designed their corporate office, all while building a large three-story home on 5 acres of land.  As an analyst in his mid-20s he had read many books about God, but was struggling with wrapping his mind around knowing a being that he could not see or touch.  As he pondered – he was staring as his fish-tank.  Suddenly he realized, he was like the fish – never able to understand the humans around the tank, just seeing the tank being cleaned and food mysteriously appearing.  This was the moment he began to believe in God and became a Christian.

From Montana he moved with his family to the Seattle area settling in Redmond, Washington and then Auburn, Washington.  He blessed his two boys by putting them through their undergraduate degrees at Seattle Pacific University.  Then, having just bought their dream house looking at Mount Rainer, once the grandchildren began to be born in Phoenix, Vickie had a conversation with Mike about desiring to move to Phoenix to be close to the first grandchild.  His response “Honey, we just bought this new house and my job is here”.  Vickie stated “Sweetie - I am moving there, I hope you will come with me”.  Michael went, and he was so happy he did.  In retirement he continued to bless his whole family of 10, giving them multiple exciting and bonding vacations to Mexico that created priceless memories.

Michael was greatly loved, was a deeply caring husband, father, grandfather, and brother.  His compassion and contentment with life was inspirational. He preferred to give than to receive.  He enjoyed to lovingly listen to his children and grandchildren, as they told him the details of their day or their latest adventure.  He wrote pages of “wisdom nuggets” as he slowly acquired them over the years, to bless and help those around him. 

In his retirement years he enjoyed putting puzzles together, and it was very appropriate, that his last puzzle which was only partially completed, was of a lighthouse and a boat at sunset.  A phrase he had spoken was:  

“… death and eternity are like a boat sailing out into the ocean, slowly disappearing over the horizon, to us it is gone, but in reality, it is just arriving at a new destination.” 

Michael, husband, father, grandfather and brother – we will miss you greatly, until we also sail across the ocean into eternity to meet you again, to warmly embrace you in heaven and to go on a desert hike with you again.  We love you!