Ronald Dean Carter (R.D.) was the youngest of three children born to Hollie and Lorene “Dutch” Carter in December, 1940 in Tunas, Missouri. He passed from this life in his home in Urbana, Missouri on November 7, 2020, at 79 years of age.
R.D. graduated from Tunas High School in 1958 and was united in marriage to Wilma Marie Dorman on June 26, 1960. From this union three children were born.
R.D. owned a gas station in Urbana, Missouri for a few years, but soon began a dump trucking business which he would own and operate until his death. In its infancy “Carter Trucking” was R.D. doing what he loved, which was running a dump truck. The business grew over the years and he employed numerous individuals in and around Hickory and Dallas counties and the surrounding areas, including his brother and his two sons. R.D. never lost his entrepreneurial spirit or his love of trucking and remained active in the business until his death.
R.D. married Charity Erb on December 21, 2005, and with her help and encouragement, Carter Trucking continued to expand from a local sand and gravel business, to a larger and more diversified enterprise. On the day of his death, R.D. and Charity were discussing future hauls and running to get parts for trucks.
R.D. will be remembered for his wit, his humility, his love for his family, and his willingness to help others. R.D. cared for his employees like they were his own flesh and blood. He would always try to make sure that his drivers and their families were able to make it between paychecks — even if that meant that he had to scrimp to do it. He quietly forged a reputation as an honest and hardworking businessman, and one who would not hesitate to give someone in need the shirt off his back.
R.D. was a doting husband, father, grandpa and great-grandpa. Holidays were spent with way too much family crammed into way too little house, and were characterized by non-stop conversation, laughter, and pure chaos. His presence will be sorely missed by those of us he left behind.
R.D. is survived by many adoring family members including his wife, Charity Carter, his son, Dale Carter and wife Rachel, daughter, Lisa Henderson, daughter-in-law Kim Carter, ten grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and numerous other family members and friends.
R.D. was preceded in death by his son, Jimmy Carter, his parents, his sister Holene Barnhart, and brother, Rex Carter.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Howard Chapel Cemetery Fund.
Graveside services will be 10:00 am Wednesday, November 11, 2020 in the Howard Chapel Cemetery under the direction of the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home of Buffalo, Missouri.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 pm Tuesday, November 10, 2020 in the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home in Urbana, Missouri.
