Some people only walk this earth for a short time, but Nannie Mae (Motley) Carter was blessed to live a long life of 90 years.  Her departure reminds us that angels are watching over us. So on Thanksgiving Day, Mae joined her heavenly family and gained her wings.

Mae was born on June 3, 1930, at Rappahannock Academy, Caroline County, VA, to John Lewis Motley, Sr. and Annie Mae Dobson.  Her siblings Margaret Knee, John L. Motley, Jr., Betty Craig, and Frank (Skip) Motley and a step-grandchild Matthew Carter have preceded her in death.

Mae is survived by her husband, John Thomas Carter of 50 years; children, Barbara Wisdom (Boyd), Mark Mallin (Alana), Gail Woodward (Woody), and Karen Jenkins, as well as her step-children Darlene White (Bob), and Charles Carter (Cheryl).  Her grandchildren are:  Lisa Thompson (Daniel), Christina Jenkins, Toby Hepner (Scott), Terri Baylor, Kevin Wisdom (Tammy), Kelly Paterino (Dominic), Aaron Mallin (Erika), and step-grandchild Rachel Foster (Scott). She has 17 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren who survive her. 

 After many years as a stay-at-home Mom, Mae was employed by the NSWC, Dahlgren base until her retirement in 1987.

Her interests included a summer week at Nags Head with family members, traveling in general, and especially to Las Vegas with her daughters, going to movies and dining out. Our most wonderful memories are Mae and Tom working together in their vegetable garden.  Mae could be found tending the garden no matter the weather.  Mae explained why they planted such a huge garden: 1/3 of the harvest was for the freezing and canning;1/3 was giving the vegetables away to family and friends; and 1/3 was for the deer, groundhogs and other critters.

Pallbearers are Robert Bickham, Dominique Bickham, Devontae Jackson, Kyle Baylor, Kevin Wisdom and Christina Jenkins.

Funeral services will take place at Storke Funeral Home, Bowling Green, VA, on November 29, 2020 at 3:00 pm.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be at Bethany Baptist Church, 5001 Arcadia Rd., Woodford, VA.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made “in Mae’s memory” to SAWS, PO Box 41208, Fredericksburg, VA  22404.