Dale Carter

SPOKANE, Wash. — Dale B. Carter went to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ, and his beloved wife, LaVonne Elaine Carter, on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 at 8:48 a.m., in Spokane.

Dale  was born in McCook, Neb., in 1931 to Elmer and Marie Carter. He married his high school sweetheart, LaVonne, in 1952 and they spent 66 wonderful years together, holding hands through every adventure, before her passing in 2017. He toured the world in the Navy for four years during the Korean War. Following his service, he attended Colorado State College-Greeley, where he completed his bachelors degree in physical education with a minor in social studies and his Masters degree in secondary education. During his time in college, he achieved state honors in football, basketball and track. He began his career teaching and coaching in Red Willow County, Neb., where he gained entrance into Nebraska’s Hall of Fame for his 1958 sports teams.

He and LaVonne relocated to Ukiah, Calif., sight unseen. They moved into the home where they would spend the next 53 years together, raising their children and grandchildren before moving to Spokane in 2013.

Dale was an avid fisherman-regularly fishing on lake Mendocino and Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, Calif. He was an active member in his community and in the First Presbyterian Church in Ukiah for many years. Dale taught middle and high school for 33 years and through those years, taught history, geography, drivers training, and coached football and basketball. He was known as a compassionate teacher who would do anything for his students, including giving out his home phone number at the start of each school year; Dale encouraged his students to call him if they needed anything day or night. He cared deeply for his students, and is known by many as a “favorite teacher.”

He was a wonderful father to his daughters, Lynda LaVonne Basgal and Diana Carter Blank, and an amazing grandfather to his granddaughters, Brittany, Stephanie and Courtney. He liked to joke that he was outnumbered as the only man in a family of women. He set an example to his daughters and granddaughters of how a husband should treat his wife, and a father his daughters.

Dale brought happiness and laughter everywhere he went. He always had a smile on his face and brought a smile to those he met. He radiated confidence that Jesus would see him through. He enjoyed practical jokes, and finding quarters behind everyone’s ears. He loved to make people laugh, and though deaf for many years from the Navy, said he could always hear and understand laughter. Everywhere he went he made friends; people were drawn to his happiness and joy, and he leaves a lasting impact on their hearts.

“He made you something special, you’re the only one of your kind”- The Bill Gaither Trio