Dorothy Jewel Carter
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Dorothy Jewel Carter, lovingly known as "Aunt Dot," entered the gates of her heavenly home Saturday, November 27, at the Veterans' Administration Medical Center on Cooper Drive in Lexington, Ky. Born May 25, 1928, in Louisville, Ky., she was the daughter of Cyrus M. & Ida B. (nee Roberts) Carter; she was the youngest of eight children. A resident of Hardin County, Dot received her primary education in Vine Grove. After her graduation from high school, she attended Western Kentucky State Teachers' College (now Western Kentucky University) in Bowling Green. Her lifelong sense of patriotic duty and love for her country, prompted her to enlist in the United States Navy in January 1950. After she completed her recruit training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago, Illinois, she served in various administrative capacities in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Hawaii. After graduating from Navy recruiting school in San Diego, California, Dot served two tours of duty as a Navy Recruiter in Louisville, Kentucky, and another tour of duty in Indianapolis, Indiana. Upon her graduation from "Yeoman B" School in Bainbridge, Maryland, she was assigned to Washington, D.C., where she was the social secretary for the Chief & Staff of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Her next assignment was Camp Smith, Hawaii, where she was social secretary for the Commander of the United States Pacific Command. During a recent family gathering, Aunt Dot shared her memories of serving with Admiral Jack McCain, CINCPAC, during the time his son, John, (later U.S. Senator John McCain), was a prisoner-of-war in Viet Nam. Navy Chief Dorothy Jewel Carter was awarded numerous service awards during the course of her twenty-year career with the WAVES. Following her retirement, Dot was employed by the L&N Railroad in Louisville, Ky., and Jacksonville, Fl. In 1986 she retired and relocated to Smyrna, Tn., where she worked as a volunteer and advocate for many programs and activities for veterans. She was actively involved in raising funds for the erection of the World War II Memorial in Nashville, Tn., and she was involved in the building of the Fisher House on the grounds of the VA Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tn. Her devotion to her brothers and sisters in her military family, prompted her to volunteer at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro for over twenty years. She was a founding member of Unit 94, WAVES National "White Caps" (currently known as MWAN). Also an advocate for community service, she was a member of the Smyrna Rotary Club. Dorothy Jewel Carter had a deep faith in God that never wavered. She was an active member of many churches throughout her life; after her relocation to Lexington, Ky., in 2014, she attended Broadway Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, her seven siblings, and her special friends, Harriett L. Howard of Smyrna, Tn., and Jack & Beverly Williams of Lexington, Ky. She is survived by several nieces & nephews, including a special niece, Missy Schmidt, and her husband, John, and their children, Maggie Schmidt, Emily (Alex) Riddle, and a great-grand-nephew, John Woodford Riddle. She leaves to cherish her memory a host of friends in Tennessee as well as Kentucky. "Aunt Dot" packed a lot of living in her 93.5 years on earth. She recently bought a new car and wasn't afraid to climb on the neighbor's trampoline with John Woodford. She was an avid jigsaw puzzle worker and joke teller. Her sense of humor was shared with everyone she met on her frequent trips to "Panera" in Palomar (where she enjoyed their orange-cranberry muffins), brunch at "Wild Eggs," Palomar "Walmart" for her daily groceries, and "Ramsey's" on Harrodsburg Road for what she proclaimed "the best french fries in town." Throughout her life, "Aunt Dot" was always willing to show compassion, kindness, and generosity to others. She never visited anyone without bringing a gift; she never missed a birthday or special occasion without sending a heartfelt, handwritten note. She will be remembered for her loving, caring, and giving ways. She set a Godly example for all of us to follow. The graveside service and burial will be Friday, December 3rd at 10 am in Camp Nelson National Cemetery, 6980 Danville Road, Nicholasville, Ky., A reception will follow at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Road. In lieu of flowers, and in honor of Aunt Dot's lifelong passion for serving others, we respectfully ask memorial contributions be made to Shriner's Hospital for Children, 110 Conn Terrace, Lexington, KY 40508 or the VA Medical Center Fisher House, P.O. Box 54481, Lexington, KY 40565.