Rita Turner Carter

Rita Carter, 91, passed away November 23, 2025, in Houston. She was born March 3, 1934, in Alexandria, Virginia, to Marie and Orval Turner. Rita grew up in Enid, Oklahoma. She graduated from Enid High School in 1952 and a few months later, on November 8, married her high school sweetheart, Dean. Devoted partners for life, they were married for 72 years. Dean died in February of this year. They lived in Enid for a few years and had two sons, Mike and Denny, before moving to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1957, where Dean accepted an engineering job and their daughter, Marilyn, was born. His job took them to Buenos Aires, St. Louis, Houston, Tulsa, and finally back to Houston, where they lived for almost 40 years. In the mid-70s Rita earned her degree in education from Cleveland State University and taught third and fourth grade at Orchard Hollow Elementary in Mentor, Ohio. Some of her students were such big fans that they kept in touch with her for years after leaving her classroom. Friends describe Rita as the nicest person they’ve ever known, always kind and generous. What anyone who knows Rita knows most about her, though, is her love of quilting. After years of making clothes for herself, her kids, and Barbie, she decided she’d try a quilt. The passion was sparked, and over the next 50 years she made dozens of gorgeous quilts for herself, her family, her friends, and for charity. One of her masterpieces is a log cabin she named Quilt of Many Colors, which won a blue ribbon at the 1984 Houston Quilt Festival and was featured in QUILT magazine. She went on to make two more like it—one for Mike and one for a lifelong friend. Wherever she lived Rita was active in quilt guilds and retreats, enjoyed Shop Hops, and went to quilt shows around the country. She considered herself very lucky to live in Houston, where the quilt festival grew to take over the George R. Brown Convention Center for days. She attended it with her daughter, Marilyn, every year and they loved every minute. At the center of Rita’s life were her faith in God, devotion to Mary, and her belief in Jesus’s limitless love and saving grace. She lived that faith every day and inspired it in Dean and their children. From her membership in the Legion of Mary in the 60s through her bible studies and church volunteer work, Rita put her faith into action. Rita is preceded in death by her husband, Dean, and daughter-in-law Bonnie. She is survived by her sister, Marilyn; children Mike (Lisa); Denny; and Marilyn (Chris Munson); grandchildren Mary Tupa (Michael), Teresa Manacci (Mario), Annie Carter, and Camille Carter as well as great-grandchildren Matthew, Gabriel, Joseph, and J.D. The Carter family will receive friends for visitation and rosary Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 10:15 a.m. at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 625 Nottingham Oaks Trail, Houston, TX 77079 with Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 10:30 a.m. A reception on church grounds will follow Mass; all guests are invited to attend it as well as burial services at 1:00 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home & Cemetery, 13001 Katy Fwy., Houston, TX 77079. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Catholic Charities or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Rita Turner Carter

March 3, 1934 - November 23, 2025