Blake Monroe Carter

Mr. Blake Monroe Carter passed away peacefully on December 26, 2017, surrounded by his family at Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, AZ. Blake moved to Arizona in 2011 to be close to his sons and their families. Before that, he spent the first 60 years of his life in the Elkin area.

Blake loved sports - playing softball, basketball, and golf. One of his favorite things in life was coaching in the Little League program at Elkin Recreation. He coached for eleven years as his sons played T-ball, minor league and little league. The last time he was in Elkin, a couple of his former players came up to him and said, "Hey Coach!" He loved hearing that and he loved that those kids that he had coached so many years ago still remembered and spoke to him. He was also a member of State Road Jaycees and chaired a Bike-A-Thon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He always thought of the Bike-A-Thon when he saw their commercial on television. He even mentioned it last week. Blake had a special place in his heart for children and hated to see them suffer in any way.

He is a member of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in State Road, North Carolina.
Mr. Carter was preceded in death by his parents, Watson and Stella Carter of Pleasant Hill; three brothers - Billie Frank Carter of Charlotte, North Carolilna, Bobby Carter and Lloyd Carter of Elkin; a niece, Eloise Carter, of Elkin.

Surviving Blake are his wife, Gail Darnell Carter, San Tan Valley, AZ (formerly from State Road), Chad Monroe Carter and wife Bobbi-Jo Carter of Gilbert, AZ; Jeremy Blake Carter and his wife, Amanda Taylor Carter of Gilbert Arizona; grandchildren, Nicole Laws of Mesa, AZ, Taylor Carter of San Tan Valley, AZ, Meagan Gonzales and husband Ruben of Gilbert, AZ,and Cole Carter, Levi Carter, and Wyatt Carter of Gilbert, AZ, two great-grandchildren, Izabella Tereas and James Blake Gonzales; a sister, Geraldine Nicholson of Elkin, a brother Willie Carter and wife Toni of Elkin, and three sisters-in-law - Emma Jean Carter and Billie Jo Carter of Elkin, and Peggy Carter of Charlotte; brother-in-law Danny Darnell and wife Louise from State Road;and several nephews and their families.

Funeral services for Blake will be held Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 2pm at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church with Rev. John Attaway officiating.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.  The family will receive friends Saturday evening from 6-8 pm at Elkin Funeral Service.

The family would like to thank the CVICU unit at Banner Heart Hospital for the care and compassion they showed Blake and the family during the last few days of his life.