Alan Carter

The many people whose lives were touched by Alan Carter will be sad to learn that Alan departed this life on April 18, 2021.

Alan Franklin Carter, 68, much loved native and lifelong resident of Gainesville, GA was born here on July 29, 1952 and passed away on Sunday, April 18, 2021. This had been a special day for Alan as friends who had made numerous previous visits to be with him during his illness came once again, some from long distances, to visit him once more, fearing this visit might be their last in this life. He acknowledged and thanked them with a hand raised in salute. They didn’t realize at the time how very fortunate their timing was, but the very last visitor, his devoted friend, Juan Luna, had been gone only a short time before Alan slipped away peacefully and quietly with his beloved sister, Carole Ann, by his side.

Alan was born at the brand new, 90 bed, Hall County Hospital in 1952 when the hospital was only a year old, in 2021 that fine hospital building was still standing as a proud and essential portion of the much larger Northeast Georgia Medical Center. It was in the newly opened Hospice Unit of the Medical Center, in that same building where Alan was born that he passed away. Alan’s family would like to thank all the kind and compassionate caregivers in that new Hospice Unit as well as those in the Woodrow Stewart Heart Failure Unit, all of whom took good care of Alan while he was there.

Alan attended Gainesville High school where he was manager of the Red Elephant Football team and Mercer University in Macon where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. The deep friendships formed in both have lasted all his life and are a source of great happiness for him.

Alan was preceded in death by his parents, Sosebee and Carolene Carter, his son, Zachary Alan Carter, His brother-in-law, Ed Daniel, his brother-in-law, John Crudup, Jr. and his faithful companion, Henry Lee Carter, his beloved Boston Terrier. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn Crudup Carter, his daughter, Elizabeth Dunagan, the grandsons he so adored, Easton and Channing Dunagan, sister-in-law, Caylor Crudup, brother-in-law, Chris Crudup, sister, Carole Ann Daniel, nephew Brian Daniel, Niece, Sara Ann Haynes and Cousins with whom he and Carole Ann shared so many memories of their childhood together, Jenny Browning, Jim McGee, Georgianne Pate, and Ellen Stribling.

The cousins spent many happy hours, particularly during Alan’s final illness, sharing once more these fond and often funny memories. When other memories faltered, Alan could always supply the missing details. Alan’s incredible memory and the fact that, like his father, Sosebee, he was a math whiz made him the pride and envy of his sister and cousins.

Alan was an entertaining storyteller and a gracious host with a quick and intelligent wit. One of his Hospice nurses actually commented on how quick and appropriate his wit was even in his last hours. These qualities along with his generous, loving spirit and his fun-loving personality made him the trusted and well loved friend of so very many, his lifelong friends from Gainesville, his Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers, and the many people he befriended and helped in ways known only to them.

Alan had an enormous intellect, always curious, always learning, and his intellect was matched only by his enormous loving heart. Alan wisely cherished the joy of his dear friendships and his deep and abiding love of family. Through great happiness and devastating sorrow his steady faith, born in childhood, lived out in adulthood, kept him standing steadfast. This fine, good man truly finished his race with grace.

Early in the day that would become Alan’s last on earth, a note was delivered to Alan’s room, a note left at the front desk by someone who had ventured out early on a chilly Sunday morning to leave a brief by poignant message for a special man.

The note read:  “I can only hope that I can pay forward the kindness and respect you’ve shown me. You’re an example and a hero to me, Alan.”

In the spirit of this message, Alan’s family asks that you would honor his memory with an act of unexpected kindness toward someone. Such kindness was a hallmark of Alan’s life.

A private Celebration of the life of Alan Carter will be held later this week at the offices of Carroll Daniel Construction Co., 330 Main St., SW, Gainesville, GA. Details will follow at a later time.

A GoFundMe account, the Alan Franklin Carter Family Education Fund has been started by Gainesville Friends and KA Brothers to help support the future of his grandsons.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/alanfranklincarter

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia, 30501 is in charge of arrangements.