On May 1, 2017, the Rev. Frederick Risdon Miles Carter, aged 73, of Newport News, died peacefully at Mary Immaculate Hospital, surrounded by his family.
A local funeral director, pastor, and lifelong community leader, Rev. Carter was pastor of Shepherdsville Baptist Church in Gloucester, Virginia, and served on the Newport News Planning Commission (Chairman), Christopher Newport University Board of Visitors, Virginia State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers (Chairman), and the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport Commission.
He began public service as the first African American Deputy Sheriff of Gloucester County in the late 1960s. He later founded Carter Funeral Home, Denbigh Chapel, in Newport News in 1986.
He was an avid pilot and sailor, and had a great love for the preservation of local history, especially that of Gloucester County. He was exceptionally proud of being a co-founder of the Thursday Morning Breakfast Partners, a Newport News fellowship of citizen leaders and activists.
He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Elizabeth Lee Carter; his daughter and son-in-law, Dianne Carter de Mayo and Dr. Thomas de Mayo; his son and daughter-in-law, James Andrew Carter II and Merrilee Cleveland; his beloved granddaughters, Quinn Elizabeth Cleveland Carter and Angelica Easter Rose de Mayo; his brother, George Nelson Carter Jr., the Hon. Rebecca Shamai, and nephew, Samuel Nelson Carter-Shamai of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; his sister- and brother-in-law, Diane Lee Lewis and E. Theodore Lewis, and niece, Dr. Sarah E. Lewis of New York, New York and Cambridge, Massachusetts; his nephew, Charles Emmanuel Lee Jr., and a host of godchildren, mentees, and friends, including his very special goddaughter, Altranette M. Love.
A visitation was held from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at Carter Funeral Home, Denbigh Chapel, 251 Richneck Road, Newport News, Va. 23608. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 10, at First Baptist Church, Denbigh, 3628 Campbell Road, Newport News, Va. 23602 with interment at Shepherdsville Baptist Church, 8729 Fary’s Mill Road, Gloucester, Va. 23061, where Rev. Carter served as pastor.
Arrangements entrusted to the staff of Carter Funeral Home, Denbigh Chapel, Rev. Carter’s faithful extended family.