Obituaries

Celebrating the Life of Dorothy L. Whiting Carter

Funeral Services

July 17, 2021 @ 11:00 am St. Matthew Baptist Church 409 Holleman Dr. College Station, TX 77840 Pastor M. O. Cooper, Eulogist
Rev. Larry Johnson, Officiating

Dorothy L. Whiting Carter Story
On July 5, 1948, in Clay Texas, a beautiful baby girl was born to John Perry Whiting, Sr. and Amanda Whiting. They chose to name her Dorothy Louise. During her early childhood years, she came to Christ, joined Pleasant Home Baptist Church in Clay Texas, and was a faithful and committed member. She attended and graduated from Jones High School in Snook, Texas in 1966. Her further education was continued at Blinn College, Prairie View College, and Texas A&M University. While attending Texas A&M University, she met the love of her life and on May 9, 1970, Dorothy L. Whiting (daughter of Perry and Amanda Whiting) and Herbert L. Carter(son of Henry and Julia Carter) were joined together in marriage. To that union were born two sons (Xavier A. S . Carter & Wesley D. Carter ) and one daughter(Kristina D. Carter).
For a short time, she lived in the Bryan/College Station area until her husband completed his college education. Though only a semester from graduation at Texas A&M University, she moved with her husband to Port Arthur Texas where he was gainfully employed. While there for several years, she and her family joined a local church and was active in Sunday School. She worked for a while as an accountant for the City of Port Arthur but was happy to be a homemaker and mother to her children. After a time away from her college education, she enrolled in Lamar University where she completed all remaining requirements and graduated with a degree in Business Administration majoring in Accounting.
Upon receipt of a new job assignment by her husband to a position in Houston, they relocated to Spring Texas where the family soon became members of Greenspoint Baptist Church. She was active in Women’s, Deacon’s family, children’s, outreach, and Sunday School ministries. Always involved with the children at church she kept her children involved while assisting in the organization and preparations of all related activities. Perhaps we can say that she loved helping others and was a prime example of a beautiful mother, wife, and above all Christian servant. Being a mother and wife kept her very busy but she still found time for Fellowship activities in the church. It gave her so much joy to give of herself to others and always did so with a heartwarming smile regardless of what personal issues or problems she might be experiencing.
After several years in Spring, Texas, she and her husband returned to Bryan, Texas, and started their own business in property management, development, and construction. She initially worked with her husband to design and construct new homes for a small subdivision in Bryan. Later she was instrumental in preparing a winning proposal amidst stiff competition to secure federal funds for the construction of low-income rental housing. She not only managed and supervised the construction of that project but also performed all the accounting, handled all procedural matters and associated paperwork required under federal guidelines.
While living in Bryan she and her husband joined the church family of St. Matthew Baptist, College Station, Texas where Rev .M. O. Cooper is Pastor. She was a faithful member, an active participant in Sunday school, and supported the church wherever needed. During the early years of the business, when some projects required hard labor with her hands, she was there right beside her husband from start to finish. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to help her husband regardless of whether or not it was considered work for “men only”. Whereas it was customary in those days for men to handle many if not all financial matters in and outside the home, our arrangement was quite different from the norm. Though her husband managed to create obligations she made sure that they were met and was excellent at maintaining the books, paying bills, and keeping her husband within financial constraints. Dorothy was an outstanding helpmate. Even when she didn’t have the knowledge to help her husband, she was willing and indeed learned whatever was needed.
When she became sick and was no longer able to do many of the things she was accustom to doing, She inspired her family from a bed of affliction as she persevered and endured while her husband and many other caregivers invaded her personal and private domain. Even when she was able to speak, she did not complain. When she lost her voice and was unable to speak, she taught us how to communicate with the movement of her eyes for she could still hear and understand. Dorothy was loving, kind beyond measure, faithful to a fault, which might appear to others to her detriment or disadvantage. She was friendly even to those the world would be partial. She was forgiving and held no grudge in the face of the harshest and demeaning circumstances. Though these were wonderful personality traits, she had GOD’s gifts of grace and resilience.
Considering the difficulties, problems, heartaches, trials, and tribulations in her life you would think that surely it would manifest itself in her daily communication and interaction with her family and others, but that was never the case because she was full of this special joy that made her smile wide and all outside. She fought the good fight, finished the race, and made it to her heavenly home on July 3, 2021. She was happily married for fifty-one (51) years and leaves to cherish her memories, a loving and devoted husband-Herbert Carter, son- Xavier A.S. Carter (Christine,) son-Wesley D. Carter, daughter- Kristina D. Carter, brother-Reginald Whiting(Carolyn), sister-Alberta Collins, grandchild -Ethan Carter, nieces, nephews and a host of other