Edward Cole Carter

Mass of Christian Burial for Edward Cole Carter, 73, Lawrence will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 4, 2016 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. It will be followed by a private burial. He passed away Saturday, February 27, 2016 at Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community.

He was born March 21, 1942 in Nevada, Missouri the son of Robert and Mary (Cole) Carter.

Ed, also known as Poppa and Eddie, is survived by his wife of 55 years, Becky Hughlene (Burgin) of the home and his children Kelli Kyle Carter, Kayla Riley Lohness, Hugh Edward Carter, and Rebecca Lynne Chavez all of Lawrence. He was preceded in death by his son Tye Chadwicke Carter and grandson Rees Burgin Carter. He is survived by 22 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Ed was a graduate of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas where he met his wife, Becky, and was an All-Conference Guard on the 1961 NAIA National Championship Football Team and a member of the Pittsburg State University CIC Championship Baseball Team in 1962. In 1963 he joined Southwestern Bell Telephone/AT&T as a Staff Assistant and progressed through the ranks to retire at the age of 49 as the Division Manager of Regulatory Relations.

Ed greatly enjoyed his family, golfing, trips to Las Vegas, coaching, mentoring, and serving his community. He had a profound effect on those who knew him and many more will be touched by the legacy he left in his service to community.

Ed greatly enjoyed coaching Douglas County Youth Baseball for both the Shockers and the Merchants as well as coaching the Broken Arrow Braves Football Team and serving as Vice-President of the Lawrence Youth Football Organization. He later started that organization’s Gorilla Football Team. Ed was a Co-founder and two-time President of Lawrence Junior Achievement, and a Co-founder and Director of Leadership Lawrence as well as having served on its Board of Trustees. He served as a board member of the Lawrence School District Foundation Board, the Governors Kanwork Committee, and the Kansas Calvary. He served as Director for Standard Mutual Life Insurance Company and the Kansas Industry Council. Ed served as Executive Board Member of the Kansas Council on Economics Education, as an Officer and Executive Board Member of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, as Vice President and Executive Board Member of the Kansas State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as President and Executive Board Member of the Lawrence Rotary Club, as a Board Member for Peoples Bank, and as Chairman of the Douglas County United Way Fund. He was a Co-founder and Director of several start-up companies and he served on many committees at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center including the committee that worked to establish the Church on the KU Campus. He was elected to the Lawrence City Commission and served as the Mayor of Lawrence from 1980-1981.

Through the years Ed was recognized for many of his accomplishments, receiving the Ambassador of the Year Award from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas Distinguished Service Award from the Kansas Jaycees, and the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International. Upon graduating from Leadership Kansas, Ed was elected Director by his graduating class. Lawrence Junior Achievement recognized him with the Distinguished Service Award. He received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and a Meritorious Achievement Award from Pittsburg State University as well as the Wall Street Journal Award for Leadership and Academic Achievement from the School of Business.

Ed held himself to the highest of standards and expected the same from those who surrounded him. He worked hard always, played hard always and he never knew a stranger.

The family will greet friends from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3 ^rd at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence and they may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.