HOLBROOK – Mary Wren Carter, 94, of Holbrook, Idaho, remarkable and loving mother of 10, grandmother of 177, and friend to all, returned home to her heavenly Father on Sunday, November 12, 2006.
She was born October 11, 1912 at Curlew, Idaho – now S tone – in the home of her parents Ralph Orville and Effie May Gurney Wren. She had an easy birth date to remember 10-11-12. She learned the meaning of responsibility early as the oldest of six children and worked hard all of her life.
May graduated from the Delmore (Stone) Grade School in the eighth grade. The school wagon took her to school when she was younger, and she rode horses as she grew older. She played baseball and basketball with the boys, and was always game for chase. After she graduated, May worked at the Stone Store and babysat to earn money to help support her family.
On January 29, 1938 she married George Lynn Carter, and they were blessed with 10 children. Tragedy struck when their youngest child was only a year and a half and the oldest was 15. George died of a stroke, and May was left alone to raise their children.
Her greatest desire in life became keeping her family together, and she worked hard to support them. To earn an income, May milked cows by hand and sold the milk, raised chickens, sold eggs, grew a huge garden and did janitorial work for the school, and later the church in Holbrook. May worked in the potato harvest for many years and baby-sat for many of the local families. She also worked as an assistant postmistress for several years.
May was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was sealed to George in the Logan, Utah Temple on June 18, 1971. She served in many positions in the church. Her favorite calling was one she did for 11 years – teaching the Sunbeams (3 year olds) in Primary.
May learned to do handiwork even before she started school and crocheted to keep her arthritic hands limber. She made quilts for all 10 of her children, granddaughters and numerous other friends and family members. She crocheted afghans for each grandson and made many other hand-made gifts for those she loved.
Her motto in life was, “If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right.” And she unpicked even the smallest imperfections.
Throughout her life, she had a green thumb, and took much pride in her garden, house plants and yard. She loved to share her abundant garden harvest with family and neighbors.
She lived in Holbrook until she was 91 years old, when she moved to Malad to live with a daughter. For the last year she has resided at the Oneida County Long Term Care facility.
May was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sons-in-law (Louise Horsefield and Earl Luke), three grandsons, two granddaughters and all of her brothers and sisters. She is survived by all 10 of her children, James Orville (Marie) of St. George, Utah, Linnie May Horsefield of Sylmar, California, George Stanley (Bev) of Roosevelt, Utah, Joyce Adeline (Santo) Tarantino of Lemon Grove, California, Dora Ilene Luke of Fairbanks, Alaska, Darwin Eugene of Malad, Myra Fay Dumas of Salt Lake City, Utah, Joseph Duane (Shelly) of Lyndhurst, Virginia, David Allen of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Sarah Ann (Rex) Robbins of Malad; 73 grandchildren; 90 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; five sisters-in-law, (Leora Neal, Clara May Wren, Velma Wren, Maxie Carter and Margaret Carter; numerous nieces and nephews and friends.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2006 at noon in the Holbrook LDS Ward Chapel. Friends may visit with the family on Friday evening, November 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the Horsley Funeral Home and on Saturday at the church prior to services from 10:30 a.m.