WAPAKONETA — Joseph R. Carter, of Wapakoneta, celebrated his 90th birthday, April 1, 2018, with family in Xenia and with a card shower.
Carter was born April 11, 1928, in a partial log house with no electricity or indoor plumbing near Fryburg. He is the son of the late Theresa (Weber) and Reed Carter.
He has a living sister, Mary Louise Dietz, of Sidney. Another sister, Ruth Barhorst, two brothers-in-law, Robert Barhorst and Eugene Dietz, and a brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Jeanette Carter, are deceased.
Carter married Ruth Bensman in 1953. She passed away in 2014.
He has three sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Cindy Carter, of Xenia, Terry and Rhonda Carter, of Cincinnati, and Gary and Pam Carter, of Anna. He has four grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Carter served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, achieving the rank of first lieutenant. He taught business and typing in New Bremen and Wapakoneta and then was a principal of Centennial Elementary School in Wapakoneta for 24 years, retiring in 1989. He also worked as a part-time associate with Wagner Realty for 36 years.
He is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wapakoneta.
