December 24, 1923 – June 14, 2023

Joseph Thomas Carter Jr. died on June 14, 2023 at the Community Living Center in Grand Junction, Colorado at the age of 99. Joseph was born on December 24, 1923, in Leadville, Colorado, to Joseph Thomas Carter Sr. and Cora. Bel Feno Carter. Joe was the youngest of eight children. The family moved from Leadville to Squaw Creek in Eagle County before 1920, where they began farming. Joe and his brother attended his one-room schoolhouse on Squaw Creek Road.
Joe worked for the Climax Molybdenum Company and enlisted in the United States Navy on June 15, 1943. After boot camp in Idaho, he was assigned to the USS Mississippi – BB41 in the South Pacific. He was his 2nd class machinist when he was honorably discharged on April 4, 1946.
Joe married Mary Ann Whitaker, daughter of Gordon Whitaker and LaBeta Whitaker, on October 10, 1950 in Eagle, Colorado. The two celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary in 2020. Joe and Mary Ann He has lived in Eagle for over 50 years. They spent many winters in Yuma, Arizona before moving to Grand Junction in 2000.
Joe has worked as a mechanic for Koonce Chevrolet, John Deere and Conoco. He was a heavy equipment operator for many years with the Eagle County Highway and Bridges Authority and was a school bus mechanic at Eagle County Public Schools when he retired in 1987. When he was young he loved hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed bowling, horseshoes, billiards and jeep riding in the mountains around Eagle. Joe and Mary Ann loved dancing, especially square dancing.
Joe was survived by his wife Mary Ann, his parents, four brothers and three sisters. He is left with his son, Rod of the Eagle (Louise). His daughter, Jolyn Carroll (Greg), lives in Dumfries, Virginia. She has four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 11:00 am at the Callahan Edfast Mortuary at 2515 Paterson Avenue, Grand Junction, Colorado. A burial will be held at 1 p.m. at the Western Colorado Veterans Memorial Cemetery. 2830 Riverside Parkway, Grand Junction, Colorado
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VA Western Colorado Health Care System’s Community Living Center in memory of Joe Carter. The address is 2121 North Avenue Grandjunction, CO 81501 or the Alzheimer’s Society (alz.org).