Teddy ("Ted") Eugene Carter, 82 of Willard passed away on January 30, 2013 at the Springfield Rehabilitation Center. He suffered a recent series of strokes and succumbed to pneumonia.

He was born on August 11, 1930 in a farmhouse in Goodson, Mo. While a young boy, his family moved from the town of Polk to Morrisville, Mo. His parents farmed and his father was also a blacksmith and operated an auto repair shop. Ted worked along side his father as he was growing up. In later years he told many boyhood stories of fishing in the Slagle Creek and of generally getting into mischief with his life-long friend, Jack Dixon. He also described being frustrated that while he could "whip" nearly all the boys his age in school, he couldn''t "whip" his friend Warren Mitchell despite trying nearly every day. Working in his fathers shop helped Ted to develop his natural mechanical talents. Throughout his life he was able to understand and repair nearly anything mechanical. He also invented many tools and gadgets to meet everyday needs. During the summers of his high school junior and senior years he worked in the wheat harvest, following the harvest from Oklahoma to South Dakota. These experiences served to solidify a sense of confidence and self-reliance which he maintained throughout his life.

After graduating from Morrisville High School, he enlisted in the Army and served in the 2nd artillery division in Okinawa during the Korean War. He earned the respect of his men and demonstrated many talents and leadership abilities, earning the rank of Master Sergeant by the age of 21.

He then moved to Springfield, Mo., and attended a year at the Southwest Missouri State College (now Missouri State University). At the Taylor''s Restaurant he met Diana Redden, a beautiful young woman who was to become his devoted wife of 60 years. They married in the Christian Church in Butler, Missouri on November 8, 1952. They moved to St. Louis where Ted worked at the Chevrolet assembly plant, and then Western Auto. He also attended technical school on the GI bill, training in electronics. He and Diana returned to Springfield where they started a small business, repairing radios and televisions. This would grow into Ted''s TV Centers, a Springfield institution for over 40 years. Ted became readily recognized in the Springfield community due to his appearances in their numerous television commercials over the years. He and Diana worked side by side in their business while raising 3 sons, Gary, Jerry and Larry. Ted was a firm believer in honesty, always keeping your word, hard work, self-reliance and always doing a good job, and he worked tirelessly to instill these values into their sons. These values earned their business a reputation for excellence and reliability and they had many loyal customers.

In 1960 they bought a property next to the cabin of Jack Dixon and his family, deep in the Ozark Mountains and near Bull Shoals Lake. Ted and his father built a cabin, and the family enjoyed many vacations and weekends there, boating, fishing, swimming and just spending time among nature, away from the stresses of the business. Before long, their friends Forest and Betty Barber purchased a property followed by Elliot and Cara Young and these families shared many wonderful times.

The family was stricken with grief when the oldest son, Gary died in February 1981 in a car accident.

In 1972 Ted and Diana purchased a 50 acre camp in Willard. Ted and Diana spent countless hours clearing brush, rebuilding the lodge, adding outbuildings and transforming and maintaining the property. This provided an outlet for Ted''s creative talents and seemingly endless energy. They kept a vegetable garden and fished in their lake. Diana has a "green thumb" and she planted and maintained countless flowers. Ted loved to tinker in his shop, repairing vehicles and any manner of mechanical equipment and building and creating objects, tools and gadgets. In 2000, they closed their business and retired to their camp. Ted and Diana continued to cut and haul firewood for their wood-burning stove until just a few months prior to his death. Ted was blessed to have been able to live as he chose with his wife and with the support of his sons and devoted and loving daughters-in-law, Pam and Deirdre until the end. He enjoyed a full and remarkable life. He was his own man and did things his own way. He was known for his sense of humor and his story-telling. His stories of his childhood, the wheat harvest and military experience and many others brought these bygone times to life, and close family-members and friends know these stories by heart. He was a talker, and with any opportunity, he could (and did) strike up conversations with friends and strangers alike, and he was blessed with many friends. He and Diana also always loved their dogs and cats, and their 6-toed cat, Ivy continues to reside with Diana.

Ted was an avid baseball and football fan, and he followed the St. Louis Cardinals and University of Missouri and Missouri State University teams for many years.

Ted was a believer and a Christian, though did not belong to a church.

Ted is survived by his wife Diana Carter of Willard, his son and daughter-in-law Jerry and Deirdre (Dee) of Fair Grove and son and daughter-in-law Larry and Pam of Springfield, granddaughters Sara Carter of State College, Pennsylvania and Mary Carter of Wellesley, Massachusetts, nieces Rochelle Gerule of Oregon and Ingrid Dearman of Virginia, step-grandson Tyler Farry of Seattle, Washington, step-granddaughter Kayla Farry of Pittsfield, Massachusetts and step-grandson Tyler Platz of Springfield, Mo.

Ted was predeceased by his son, Gary in February, 1981, his brother Curtis Carter, and sisters Pearle Memler and Jeanne Brashears.

The funeral will be held at the Klingner-Cope funeral home at White Chapel on Monday, February 4, 2013 at 2:00 PM, with visitation at 1:00 PM. Call 417-866-5012 for more information. He will be interned at the White Chapel Cemetery.
Pall bearers: Larry Carter, Jerry Carter, Tyler Platz, James Redden, Sam Brown and Dan Potts.
Honorary pall bearers: Jerry Miller, Mike Fox.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project is suggested.
Wounded Warrior Project
P.O. Box 758517
Topeka, Kansas 66675
Or, got@woundedwarriorproject.org