Shirley Canipe Carter And Ira Gene Carter

Shirley Canipe Carter, age 89, of Elk Ridge, UT passed away on Monday, December 19, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ira Gene Carter; parents Edward Guy and Edna Lenore; sisters Mildred, Helen, Betty, Dorothy, Beverly, and Linda; brothers Ken and Jerry; and granddaughter, Jenni Van Blarcum. She is survived by her sister Elaine Canipe of Mt Airy, NC; daughter Sheryl (Al) Abel of Seabeck, WA; son Eddie (Liz) Carter of Elk Ridge, UT; grandchildren Kathryn Howard (Josh) of St Marys, GA; Christa Abel of Sandy, OR; Chris Carter (Kelli) of Mooresville, NC; Nick Carter (Beth) of Jacksonville, FL; great grandchildren, Brant Portwood, Carter Van Blarcum, Theodore Carter; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Shirley was born on August 26, 1933 in Ranlo, NC. She was a diploma nurse from Gaston Memorial Hospital and worked in the Emergency Room for numerous years. She was also a breast cancer survivor through pure determination. Shirley loved life, loved her children and grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The United Breast Cancer Foundation https://breastcancerdonations.org/ in memory of Shirley Canipe Carter.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 11 a.m. for her and her late husband, Ira Gene Carter, at Wilkinson Funeral Home located at 100 Branchview Drive NE, Concord, North Carolina.


Ira Gene Carter, age 87, of Dacula, GA passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Gene was preceded in death by his parents Magor Adam and Margie Elaine; sister Anita Jane Snuggs; and granddaughter Jenni Van Blarcum. He is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Shirley Canipe Carter of Elk Ridge, UT; daughter Sheryl (Al) Abel of Seabeck, WA; son Eddie (Liz) Carter of Elk Ridge, UT; grandchildren Kathryn Howard (Josh) of St Marys, GA; Christa Abel of Sandy, OR; Chris Carter (Kelli) of Mooresville, NC; Nick Carter (Beth) of Jacksonville, FL; great grandchildren Brant Portwood, Carter Van Blarcum; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Gene was born on February 17, 1933 in Concord, NC. He was a 1952 graduate of Winecoff High School in Concord, NC and a 1956 graduate of Presbyterian College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. He was a multi-sport All American. His claim to fame is that he scored a touchdown against Clemson in Death Valley, where Herschel never could. He retired from Monsanto Textile after twenty-five years of service in textile sales. He also manufactured specialty hardwood floors in Ellijay, GA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Concussion Legacy Foundation https://www.classy.org/give/312896/#!/donation/checkout in memory of Ira Gene Carter. Mr. Carter has donated his brain to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank tissue donation program, to further research on CTE.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 11 a.m. for him and his late wife, Shirley Canipe Carter, at Wilkinson Funeral Home located at 100 Branchview Drive NE, Concord, North Carolina.