FORT SMITH — Rev. Curtis Norman Carter (“BC”),
age 90, died peacefully on April 7, 2024, in Ft. Smith, Ark. He was born in Blossom, Texas, on April 28, 1933. He graduated from Blossom High School in 1950, where he met his lovely wife, Novella Luttrell Carter. In 1964, BC graduated from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, after which he pursued his passion of serving the Lord through the United Methodist Church, which he did for over 65 years as a youth pastor, senior pastor, district superintendent and devoted worshipper. He and Novella married in 1950, and were together until her death in 2018. They went on to have three children, who survived them: daughters, Norma Jean Carter Arey and Roxanne “Rockie” Carter, and son, Guy Carter (Gina); grandchildren, Tiffany Parker (Todd), Curt Arey (Erica), Carter Arey Natarajan (Raj), Shannon Rucker (Garrett), and Anna Hudson (Chad); and great-grandchildren, Kait Parker, Abagail Novella Parker, Amelia Rucker, Jude Natarajan, Strat Rucker, Bodhi Natarajan, Violet Natarajan, Jackson Criner, Wyatt Arey, Nolan Arey, and Ren Natarajan; and great-great-grandchildren, Loren Foster, Parker Foster, and Nolan Parker. In 2014, BC authored “Letters to Tiff” in order to convey to his granddaughter Tiffany, and to the whole family, his life story, his life lessons, and his general beliefs. From that 140 page essay, BC noted that his faith in God and Christ was conceived from the longing for eternal life and to be a good person. He has now achieved the former and he was always the latter.
A celebration of BC’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 18, 2024, at Village United Methodist Church in Hot Springs Village, Ark. BC wanted those around him to “live well, love Jesus, and don’t forget to laugh.” In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in BC’s honor to Alzheimer’s disease research (www.brightfocus.org), the Good Samaritan Society (www.goodsam.org), or a charity of your choice. The family is grateful for all of the prayers, love, and support BC has received over the last few months.
Arrangements are under the direction of Lewis Funeral Chapel in Fort Smith, Ark.