Patricia
Anne Carter, 82, passed away peacefully at home Sunday, June 22, with family
beside her. She fought a long, spirited battle with cancer. Born August 13,
1931, in Trinity, Texas to Aurelia Arnold Royer and Freeman Royer, Patricia
grew up during the Great Depression to become the lovely, articulate, and
compassionate woman we remember. She remains a beloved wife, mother,
grandmother, and loyal friend.
Patricia
attended Sam Houston State University and later worked in the Texas State
Legislature for freshman legislator Charlie Wilson. Widowed at an early age,
she moved to Beaumont with her two young sons and became secretary at St.
Stephens Episcopal Church where she met her husband Keith. Following their marriage
she worked for nearly forty years as a writer, advisor, and business manager to
their shared artistic practice.
A woman
with an extraordinary mind, impeccable style, and a lover of people, art and
books, Patricia will be forever remembered for her spirited singing of Spanish
love songs, her lifelong affection for Mexico and her people, impromptu
recitations of poetry, and the unmatched humor and kindness of her gracious
heart. She remains the living embodiment of Yeats’ “silver apples of the moon, the golden apples
of the sun.”
Her
enduring legacy resides in her children, family and friends; Mother’s Day 2014:
granddaughter Meagan wrote, “You are graceful, elegant, beautiful, intelligent,
creative, funny, brave, artistic, bold, unique, loving, courageous, generous,
and one fabulous woman.” Granddaughter Lauren wrote; “Greatest Grand-mere; you
embody grace, love, style, and a whole lot of silly. Thank you for teaching me
the art of temporary tattoos, a love of stealing neighbor’s flowers, candles, cashmere,
a love for poetry, and most importantly, how to love others.”
Patricia
Carter is survived by granddaughters, Meagan Cropper and her husband, Ferdy of
Beaumont; Lauren Staton of Austin; grandson, Larin Crase of Meeker, Colorado; sons, Jason
Staton and his wife, Liria of Coppell, Texas; Douglas Staton and his wife, Janna
of Beaumont; and her husband of thirty-nine years, Keith Carter of Beaumont.
Mrs.
Carter is preceded in death by her parents; husband, C. J. Staton, the father
of her sons, Jason and Douglas.
A Memorial Celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, June
28, 2014, at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 4090 Delaware Street, Beaumont,
under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue. Patricia Carter will
be laid to rest in the Texas State Cemetery, in Austin.
Memorials
may be made to the Southeast Texas Food Bank P.O. Box 21012, Beaumont, Texas
77720; Some Other Place, P.O. Box 843, Beaumont, Texas 77704; or St. Stephens
Episcopal Church, 4090 Delaware Street, Beaumont, Texas 77706.
|