Carol Grace Carter

On Friday morning, January 24th, 2025, at Gibson Long Term Care Residence, Carol Carter breathed her last, with Jack, her devoted husband of 65 years, by her side.

Carol was born and raised in Hampton, Ontario, where she got her elementary education in a two-room school house. She then attended Bowmanville High School, followed by the University of Toronto, School of Dental Hygiene. It was while working as a dental hygienist in Oshawa that she met the love of her life, Jack Carter.

After spending a few brief years in Oshawa, Peterborough and Willowdale, Carol and Jack made their home in Thornhill in 1963, where they raised three daughters of their own, and a foster-daughter.
Over the years, Carol worked part-time as a hygienist, served as a Brownie and Girl Guide leader, and volunteered for the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation, the Salvation Army, the York Durham Aphasia Association and the Ontario Aphasia Association. For fun Carol played bridge, tennis, and badminton, bowled, swam, down-hill skied, cross-country skied, water-skied, ice skated, gardened, did crossword puzzles and travelled North America in a tiny RV with Jack.

Carol was a special person. She genuinely looked for the best in everyone and was always looking for a way to lend a hand, whether that meant accompanying her husband in the field as his emergency survey assistant, sewing last-minute hallowe’en costumes for her children, throwing bridal and baby showers for her friends’ children, fundraising for charities, or wielding a staple-gun on the roof of the cottage.

Temperamentally averse to all forms of conflict, Carol rarely raised her voice and found it difficult to express her feelings in words. When she was uncomfortable or angry, she simply stayed silent. Her greatest challenge was learning to speak up on behalf of her developmentally delayed foster daughter, Sarah Walker, who needed a great deal of medical care, special education and support. When Sarah became so physically handicapped that Carol could no longer care for her at home, it broke her heart to allow her to be taken to a group home.

Carol’s friendships were many and long-lasting. When asked to name someone who had known her for “over two years” for her passport, she was hard-pressed to choose among the dozens of friends she’d known for decades. Many of her friends she met playing bridge, which for Carol was a social activity more than a competition. She was embarrassed to be the top scorer on a regular basis.
Carol was preceded in death by her father Ted Chant (1995), mother Grace (nee Marshall, 2005), brother Gary Chant (1963), brother-in-law Bun Baker (2013), and daughter Candace Carter (2017). She is survived by her husband Jack Carter, daughters Christine Carter (Stefan Gross) and Janice Nickerson (Mike), grandchildren Alya Al-Joundi (Nick Rehayim), Nicola Wenn (Peter Disera), Nathan Gross and Noah Gross, brothers Roy Chant (Helen) and Verne Chant

(Linda), sister-in-law Elaine Baker, brother-in-law Garry Carter (Pat), nieces Sandy MacKay (Ian), Carolyn Duncan (David), Amie Chant (Kevin Belanger), Heather Miller (Jeff), Bonnie Fisher (James), nephews David Baker (Mary Ellen), Eric Chant (Cynthia) and David Chant (Christina), and far too many friends to name – you know who you are. Carol will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The family would like to thank the staff at Gibson Long Term Care Residence for taking such good care of Carol for the last seven years.

Interment has taken place in the green section of Cobourg Union Cemetery. A memorial service will take place on Sunday, February 2nd at Kane-Jerret Funeral Home, 8088 Yonge Street, Thornhill. Friends and family are invited to come for visitation at 1 PM. A memorial service will take place at 1:30, with a reception to follow.