Carter Kelly

Carter Kelly went to be with his Savior on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church with Dr. Howard K. Batson officiating. Arrangements are by Cox Funeral Home, 4180 Canyon Drive. Carter was born and grew up in Amarillo. He attended Margaret Wills, Sam Houston, and Amarillo High School, where he was Mr. AHS, president of Bel Canto and National Honor Society, and active in many other groups. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with an MBA. He married Sue Whitney in 1961. Carter worked for IBM in Austin and became president of a data processing company there. He installed one of the first computer systems in Texas. Next he was a consultant and CPA with Ernst and Ernst in Dallas. In 1970 he and his family moved to Amarillo for him to become president of Western Data. When First National Bank purchased Western Data, he became Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the bank. When he returned to Amarillo from Kazakhstan, he worked for Graham Data and Science & Services. Carter was a deacon in the First Baptist Church, where he and Sue taught in the college department for 22 years. They enjoyed going on mission trips to Brazil, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay, Kenya, South Africa, Romania, France, Azerbaijan, China, and Hungary. Carter was on the board of Baptist Hospital, the predecessor of BSA, Olivia's Angels for BSA Hospice, and the Speech and Hearing Clinic. He also helped with various prison ministries and the Christian Men's Job Corps. In 1992, he and Sue moved to Kazakhstan. There he was briefly an advisor to the president on privatization of industries, and then the accountant for Mercy Corps International, a humanitarian aid and development organization, in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Carter and Sue were privileged to host many Kazakhs and Russians in their apartment for Bible studies and fellowship. When he became critically ill in 1996, God saved Carter's life and helped him return to Amarillo. He loved being with his grandchildren and participating in their lives. Recently, he enjoyed getting to know and help people whom God has brought to Amarillo and Cactus from many different countries. He also enjoyed talking with his many friends of diverse ages and walks of life. Friends and family treasure their memories of Carter as wise, funny, caring, encouraging, faithful, and loving. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sim and Abbie Lee Kelly, his sister, Carolyn, and a son, Matthew. He is survived by his beloved family: his wife, Sue, his son, Whitney Kelly, his daughter, Carolyn Terrell, three granddaughters, Kathryn, Abbie, and Susanna Terrell, and his aunt, Kathryn Carter. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." II Timothy 4:6 "Jesus said, 'I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live." John 11:25 The family suggests memorials to First Baptist Church in Amarillo for missions, music, ESL, or prison ministry, or to International Commission, 260 Continental Drive, Lewisville, TX 75067.