Thomas L. Carter

Thomas L. Carter, 94, of Greeley, Colo., passed away on Wednesday, August 25, 2021.

He was born on Jan. 13, 1927, in Fairbury, Ill., to James W. (Jay) and Etta Fuessley Carter. He married Carolyn Shult, daughter of Rev. Carroll and Doris Shult, on Nov. 27, 1949, in Fairbury.

Survivors include his wife; son David Carter and his wife, Debbie, of Greeley; son Gary Carter and his wife, Shelley, of Albuquerque, N.M.; daughter Kathryn Carter and her husband, Brad Keefauver, of Peoria, Ill.; two grandsons, Scott Carter and Tommy Carter; and a great-granddaughter, Ada Carter. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, James T. Carter.

Tom attended public schools in Onarga, Ill., until the middle of his sophomore year and graduated from Fairbury High School in 1945. He was elected president of his class in each school. 

He began his career in journalism on a U.S. Army regimental newspaper while serving with the Army of Occupation in Germany in 1945-46. Back home, after completing a course in journalism at Bradley University in Peoria, he joined his hometown newspaper, the Fairbury Blade, as a reporter-photographer from 1949 to 1958. He was  editor of the weekly Tazewell County News in Morton, Ill., from 1958 to 1968. His “By the Way” column in the TCN received a first place award from the National Editorial Association in 1961.

Tom was a staff photojournalist at the Peoria Journal Star from 1968 to 1985, then served as photo editor until his retirement in 1988. Tom and Carolyn then moved to Louisville, Colo., where he operated a wedding video service for 11 years. The couple moved to Greeley in March 2009.

Tom was a member of Mountain View United Methodist Church in Boulder, Colo., where he served on a number of committees and produced the monthly newsletter for 14 years. While living in Fairbury, he was a member of the Jaycees, Lions Club, Masonic Lodge, and the John Joda Post 54 American Legion, of which he served one year as commander. In 1966 he was named Outstanding Citizen of the Year in Morton.

Tom will be remembered for his sense of humor, his love for his family, and his constant devotion to Carolyn, to whom he was married for over 72 years. He loved to take pictures, not just in his career but at home and on family trips. He enjoyed baseball and invented his own dice baseball game. He also liked to play board games and was interested in trains, both full-sized and models. When his children and their Carter cousins were young, everyone had fun performing in the parody radio shows that Tom wrote and recorded.

The family wishes to thank Pathways Hospice, Touching Hearts, and Senior Helpers for the care they gave Tom in his final months. In keeping with Tom’s wishes, his body has been donated for medical research through the Colorado Anatomical Board. 

A Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends on Saturday, October 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Adamson Reception Center, 2000 47th Ave., Greeley, CO 80634. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pathways Hospice, the American Cancer Society, or the American Tinnitus Association in care of Adamson. To view Tom’s online memorial and leave condolences, visit AdamsonCares.com.