Ronald Gary Carter

Ronald Gary Carter was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 24, 1932, but moved early with his family to Twin Falls, Idaho. During his youth, he participated in the family business of livestock and meat packing. Following high school graduation, he entered Brigham Young University, interrupting his education to serve a two-and-a-half year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to Norway. He then returned to BYU, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Ron married LaRae Dunn, and returned to the family business for two years before attending law school at George Washington University in Washington D.C., and at the University of Utah. While in law school, he clerked for several large law firms and worked for the Department of Defense to pay for law school and support his family. After obtaining his Juris Doctor Degree, he practiced law for 25 years in Boise, Idaho, concluding his legal career with seven years in research and writing for Superior Court judges in Los Angeles County, California. He also served one term as a State Senator in Idaho. Ron was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all his life, serving as a Bishop, High Councilor, and Counselor in a Stake Presidency, among other callings. At the time of his passing, he was serving as Scout Committee Chairman and Stake Clerk in the Buena Vista Stake in Buena Vista, Virginia where he and his wife have lived for the past 3 years. Ron and LaRae are the parents of nine children and 30 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son John Christian Carter and he is survived by his wife, LaRae Dunn Carter and children: Ronald Gary, Melvin Eric, Charles Thomas, Jeffrey William, Kristen, Karen, Shannon and Joseph Benjamin Carter. Ron's greatest achievement was his family. His personal interests included music, hunting, rifle and shotgun competition shooting. Ron began writing and publishing books in 1988. He finished and published 20 books that covered a variety of subjects including courtroom drama, backwoods humor, little league baseball, the Apache Indian Wars of 1880, teenage detectives in Salt Lake City in 1869, a historic cattle drive, and he had a particular interest in the founding of this country. He completed a major project with Bookcraft, an imprint of Deseret Publishing Co., writing a nine volume series on the Revolutionary War, entitled Prelude to Glory. He received numerous book awards and received highest praise for his work. He was an acclaimed speaker, sharing his belief in and love for this country in seminars and gatherings nationwide. His most recent success was a book published in 2007 entitled Unlikely Heroes. Ron was known and loved by many and touched numerous lives with his love and devotion to the principles espoused by those who founded this country. He was respected for his knowledge of the American Revolution and the ordinary people who were instrumental in establishing this country. Ron died peacefully in his home on Friday, November 7, 2008. Funeral services are planned for Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Nelson Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North in Logan, Utah. A viewing will precede the funeral beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Wellsville, Utah Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .