James Harrison Carter II, Ph.D.

James Harrison Carter II, 66 years, passed to heaven on Jan. 12, 2012 at his home with his family by his side.

Jim was born July 4, 1945 in Biloxi, Miss., to James Harrison and Virginia (Crouch) Carter.

On Aug. 7, 1965 Jim and Nina Spurrier were united in marriage in Jefferson City, Mo., and to this union two children were born.

Jim’s youth was spent in North Carolina and Georgia. His working career was spent mostly in Florida and Louisiana, before retiring in Ava.

Jim was a Christian and had accepted Christ at a young age. He has served faithfully as a deacon, trustee, Bible teacher and witness.

He completed his PhD with Georgia Tech in organic chemistry. Dr. Carter knew from his teen years that he wished to become a research chemist, and he stayed true to that calling for his entire career.  His work is represented by 19 patents covering development of chemistries still used in medicine today.

Among his proudest accomplishments was conducting an experiment on one of the space shuttle Challenger’s early missions.  As he neared retirement, he was priviledged to serve four years as associate professor and research sdvisor in the LSU School of Medicine Rural Family Medicine Residency Program in Bogalusa, La. Countless lives were touched positively by his lifetime work.

He was also an avid musician, performing with orchestras, choirs, drama groups and opera companies.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Nina Carter, Ava, Mo.; two children and their spouses, Christine Elizabeth and Antonio J. Martins, Plantation, Fla., and James Daniel and Kellie (McConnell) Carter, Loxahatchee, Fla.; four grandchildren, Joshua (Sarah) and Nikki Martins and Jayme and Jakob Carter; and one sister, Judy Ware and husband, Tim, Cumming, Ga.

Funeral services for Jim were Monday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m. in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home Ava, Mo., with burial in the Mt. Tabor Cemetery. Visitation was Sunday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the funeral home. Officiating were Pastor Bob Adams and Pastor Dennis Shumate. Memorials may be made to Mt. Tabor General Baptist Church, American Diabetes Association or donor’s choice of charity.

Online condolences may be made to www.clinkingbeardfuneral home.com.