Kenneth Carter

The funeral for H. Kenneth Carter of Cape Girardeau will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The Rev. Jeff Long of Centenary United Methodist Church will officiate.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 5 p.m. to service time Friday.

A second service will be held at noon Saturday at Valhalla Chapel of Memories in St. Louis. The Rev. Sandy Schaller will officiate. Burial will be in Valhalla Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to service time Saturday.

Mr. Carter, 102, died Friday, Feb. 12, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born Feb. 21,1907, in St. Louis, son of William H. and Helen R. Carter. He and Evelyn Gourley were married June 14, 1930, in St. Louis. Evelyn Carter died Nov. 29, 1987.

Ken Carter was employed by Shell Oil Co., starting in 1926 in St. Louis.

During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy as a recruiter in Moberly, Mo. After the war, the family returned to St. Louis and Mr. Carter resumed working for Shell Oil Co.

In 1949 he was appointed superintendent of the new Shell Oil Terminal in Cape Girardeau. The family moved to Cape Girardeau and became members of Centenary Methodist Church.

Ken continued his association with the Naval Reserve. He was a member of American Legion Post 63.

He retired in 1966 and he and Evelyn moved to a 72-acre "gentleman's farm" near Sam A. Baker State Park in Wayne County, Mo. They moved to Chateau Girardeau in 1980, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary that same year.

Centenary Church celebrated its centennial at a dinner Oct. 7, 2006. Mr. Carter was honored as the oldest living member of the church.

Ken celebrated his 100th birthday Feb. 21, 2007, with a large party at Chateau Girardeau. He received letters from President and Mrs. Bush, Gov. Blunt, Rep. JoAnn Emerson, national and state American Legion and others. He was presented a framed proclamation of the Missouri House of Representatives.

Survivors are sons Dale K. Carter of Seattle and H. Russell Carter of St. Louis.

Memorials may be made to Chateau Girardeau or to donor's choice.