The Chapel bells tolled seven times Jan. 26 to announce the death of Dr. Samuel Henley Carter, 84. Carter, a 1943 University graduate, was a Seven Society member, husband, father, friend, doctor and volunteer. He was born July 17, 1921 in The Plains, Va.
History
Carter graduated from Episcopal High School before attending the University. Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Carter attended University Medical School. He married Katherine Kivlighan on March 30, 1946. Together they had eight children over the years.
A mutual friend introduced Kivlighan and Carter. Another friend was hosting a house party in Virginia Beach, and Carter decided to ask Kivlighan to attend the party as his date.
"Our friend Bobby said, 'You better be serious if you're asking her -- that's Louis's girl!'" Kivlighan, now Mrs. Carter, said. "And Sam said, 'I am serious. I'm going to marry her!'"
Carter and Kivlighan attended the party together, and Carter proposed to Kivlighan the next year at the same house.
"We got married the following March," Katherine Carter said. "Isn't that neat?"
Once he graduated, Carter served as a physician in the military during World War II for 22 months and the Korean War for 20 months.
After he returned home to Ft. Defiance, Va., he opened the Ft. Defiance Medical Center in 1954 with William Painter and practiced family medicine there with Painter and Michael Hanna.
In between working with his patients and caring for his family, he founded and co-owned the Carter-Coffman Tree Farm in Ft. Defiance.
When Carter retired in 1988, he served on the Augusta County School Board. He also worked with the Valley Alliance for Education and the Augusta Medical Center Hospice of the Shenandoah. He also volunteered with the Verona Kiwanis Club and helped establish Hospice's Camp Dragonfly for bereaved children.
He was the junior warden of Emmanuel Episcopal Church and also served on the vestry.
But according to Carter's daughter, Beverley Coffman, her father had certain achievements that he proclaimed his loftiest.
"Pop said he had four things of which he was most proud," Coffman said in her father's eulogy. "First, he was proud that he married my mother. Second, he was proud of his family. Third, he was proud of his medical practice, and finally, he was proud of his service to his community."
The University
In addition to belonging to the Seven Society, Carter was a member of St. Anthony's Hall, the Raven Society, the IMP Society and the Tilka Society while studying at the University. He also was sports editor for the predecessor to the Cavalier Daily, "College Topics."
Katherine Carter, a graduate of Mary Baldwin College, said her husband loved everything about the University.
"The friends he made meant the most to him -- not just the friends at [St. Anthony's] Hall because he had lots of friends all over," Katherine Carter said.
Two of Carter's fraternity brothers, Dick Wilcher and Billy Hill, were still close with Carter when he passed away.
"He was a terrible fellow, I couldn't stand him," Hill joked. "No, I'm kidding, he was a neat guy."
Although Wilcher later noted Carter's academic work ethic, the first memory he recalled was one of play.
"Sam and I played on St. Anthony's football team and won the intramural touch football championship played in Mad Bowl," Wilcher said.
Both Hill and Wilcher said they remembered Carter almost always working on schoolwork to prepare for medical school.
"He did a lot of work while we were playing," Hill said. "I don't think he did much fooling around."
According to Wilcher, Carter's personality did not change a great deal from his college days even after graduation.
"I never heard him criticize anyone," Wilcher said. "He was very sociable and he liked everybody. At the same time he had a very serious side to him."
As for Carter's membership in the Seven Society, both friends said they were surprised.
"I didn't know until I read it in the paper," Hill said. "I was amazed, but he was some kind of guy."
Katherine Carter, on the other hand, had been in on her husband's secret for years.
"All of the wives know, but we're sworn to secrecy," she said. "My children said that even more surprising that he was a Seven is that their mother was able to keep the secret for 59 years."
She also knew Carter was a member of the less secretive IMP and Raven Societies.
"I have a charm bracelet that has his pins from the IMPs and the Ravens," Katherine Carter said.
"A Pretty Remarkable Fellow"
When Carter retired from medicine, his main focus became volunteer work.
"His selflessness was innate," Coffman said. "The more good he did and the more things he achieved, the more unselfish he became."
Dr. Carter gave time to his community both for education and Hospice.
"I guess when you have eight children you get interested in education," Katherine Carter said. "But his real love for volunteer service was Hospice."
In addition to serving seven years on the Augusta County School Board and seven years on the Augusta Medical Center Hospice of the Shenandoah, Carter also volunteered for seven years at Camp Dragonfly.
Katherine Carter said every year they rented a camp in Vesuvia, Va. to hold Camp Dragonfly.
"Volunteering at the annual Camp Dragonfly weekend was a highlight for both Pop and Mom over the past seven years," Coffman said.
Carter's family and friends said he will be missed, but according to Katherine Carter, his life was years well spent.
"We were married for 59 years, and we've had a wonderful life with no complaints," Katherine Carter said. "If he were here, he'd say the good Lord gave him good health for 83 years, and he wasn't going to complain about the last bit. He was a pretty remarkable fellow, to tell you the truth."
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