Kennith Robert “Bob” Carter passed away July 5, 2022 in Port Townsend, Wash., due to complications from what is believed to be ALS. He was 72.
Bob was born Sept. 9, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, to Ken and Tillie Carter, the only one of the five Carter siblings not born in Port Townsend (as his dad was in dental school in Chicago). He was raised in Port Townsend, graduating in 1967. In school he participated in basketball, football, and baseball, played trombone in the band, and as a senior was marching band drum major.
As a brother with four sisters, Bob often got into trouble when his younger sisters were screaming, even when his sisters were upstairs screaming and Bob was sitting on the couch next to his dad.
After high school, Bob attended the University of Washington where he admittedly specialized in attending concerts and keggers. Among his many stories from that time is when he smoked cigarettes with Art Garfunkel before a Simon & Garfunkel concert.
Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served from 1969-1971 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19) including time at “Yankee Station” off Vietnam. One of his jobs was to be music DJ during dinner hour and later, to work in the recruiting office. He much preferred the DJ gig over recruitment.
Only weeks after leaving the Navy and living in Southern California, he married Shari Kuhn on Nov. 6, 1971. The couple moved to Santa Barbara where Bob attended the Brooks Institute of Photography. After completing his photography degree, Bob eventually moved back to Port Townsend to raise a family (Kristin and Heather). Bob was a staunch supporter of his two girls, attending all their “home” sporting events and most of their “away” ones. One basketball game he drew a technical foul from the bleachers, so noted in the Leader sports section as the “overzealous fan”.
Bob got into the insurance business, working many years for Homer Smith Insurance, eventually opening his own office for McDonald Insurance where he worked until his retirement in 2013. Bob’s comedic side showed through his insurance advertisements in The Leader newspaper, highlighted by a “What About Bob?” spoof for a Port Townsend Film Festival program in which he was tied to the mast of a boat, like Bill Murray’s character in the 1991 movie by that name.
As a young man, Bob joined his dad on trips to Alaska to fish with his Uncle Earnie. Bob continued annual fishing trips with friends to Alaska and Canada.
Bob and Jan Sanford married on New Year’s Eve 2005. They participated in many community service projects and programs, and enjoyed a life of travel, fine art, wine tasting and wine collecting. Together they hosted many parties for Kiwanis members, friends and Cape George neighbors.
He enjoyed woodworking, music, golf and games of all types, cribbage to cornhole (he was just a wee bit competitive). UW Huskies all the way for Bob, who had many fan stories that include being there when the Seahawks and Mariners made their Seattle Kingdome debuts.
Meeting people allowed Bob to find that “six degrees of separation”. He enjoyed traveling, probably to make more “six degrees” connections. Bob could strike up a conversation with anyone. He was good at inserting a bit of comedy, such as, “Have you ever tried to sing “Ave Maria” in the round?” Great for hysterical laughter.
Bob would take his older sister Lolly (the office boss) out to lunch on her birthday, dressed in his suit and tie, looking handsome, with the goal of starting some office gossip. (Who was that guy?)
As a member of Kiwanis (1979-2022), last year he topped the Port Townsend service club membership record set by his father. Bob served as club president and lieutenant governor.
His community involvement included Kiwanis, Elks, Rhododendron Festival and Rhody Run. For many years he set out the Rhody Grand Parade line-up stakes in his Uptown neighborhood. He shared the Port Townsend Citizen of the Year award with his dad, Ken Carter, as Kiwanians who led the 1992 fundraising campaign to restore the “Galatea” statue at Haller Fountain.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Ken and Tillie Carter, and sisters, Lolly Miller and Lyn Carter. He is survived by wife, Jan and her sons, Kyle Sanford and Brett Sanford; his daughters Kristin Little (Craig), and Heather Mercer, and their mother, Shari; sisters Pat Bretland and Melanie Holcomb; grandchildren Darian McClinton, Dru and Lenyx Mercer, and Lincoln, Reagan, and Grant Little.
A Celebration of Life is set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, 2022 at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St. In lieu of flowers, donate to the Port Townsend Kiwanis Foundation, POB 489, Port Townsend, Wash, 98368; or the Port Townsend High School Alumni Association, POB 1008, Port Townsend.
