Carter, Elsie M.

EARLVILLE - Elsie M. Carter, 94, of Earlville, died Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010, at the Edgewood Convalescent Home, Edgewood. Elsie's desire to go places and do things was still strong but her body was not able to keep pace with her spirit for adventure.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Earlville United Parish Church by the Rev. Jill Mack. Family will greet friends one hour before services at the church. Inurnment: Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Ill. Local arrangements by Clifton-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Earlville.

Elsie was born Nov. 28, 1915, in rural Earlville, to Henry A. Arnold and Edith S. (Hunt) Arnold. She grew up in Delaware County and played basketball on the Earlville girls' team before graduating from Earlville High School in 1933, She went to Lennox College in Hopkinton, where her father paid part of her tuition with farm produce. She went on and graduated from the University of Iowa. She taught school in Earlville and Muscatine, before marrying Harry W. Carter on Oct. 19, 1944, at the Congregational Church in Earlville.

Harry was in the military and the family was stationed at Fort Jackson, S.C., Jacksonville, Fla., Germany, Fort Benning, Ga., Fort Carson, Colo., and Verona, Italy. Harry died Oct. 2, 1959, while serving in Verona, Italy.

Elsie and the children returned to Earlville, where she worked at the United States Post Office and later in Dubuque. While the boys were growing up she played piano at the church and also enjoyed playing cards. As time permitted she started taking dance classes and entering dance competitions.

Traveling was another interest and she enjoyed group tours, visiting her family in other states and traveling back to Europe on two occasions. Many of these activities were shared with a companion of several years, Fritz Kaul.

Elsie is survived by sons, Bill (Jackie) Carter, Laramine, Wyo., and Jim (Ellen Imsland) Carter, Colville, Wash.; grandchildren, John (Jasmine) Carter, Ridgecrest, Calif., Dan (Marie) Williams, Bryan, Texas, Tor (Victoria) Carter-Imsland, Spokane, Wash., and Siri Imsland, Colville, Wash.; and four great-grandchildren, Trevor and Ryan Carter, Ridgecrest, Calif., and Grace and Makaya Williams, Bryan, Texas.

Elsie was preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant brothers, Carroll and William; a brother, Nelson Arnold, and sister-in-law, Edna Arnold; as well as Fritz Kaul.

Please sign the online guest book for Elsie at  under obituaries.