Mari Ellen Bettis Carter's walk with Christ reached all the way to Heaven as she found rest in His loving and eternal embrace on September 23, 2013.
Succumbing to cancer, she passed peacefully from this life into the next,
surrounded by the family she loved so dearly in Panama City, Florida.
Mari was born on February 22, 1948, in Panama City. Her parents, Doyle and
Annie Bettis, instilled in her an appreciation for music and a steadfast faith that
became her foundation through the years.
A gifted musician, her faith seemed to take flight as she played piano and
organ for numerous churches in Florida and Georgia over the years. In 1978,
her faith and love of music led her to the love of her life, Minister of Music Jim
Carter, her husband of 34 years.
Having embraced her Christian faith as a child, Mari especially revered Luke 18: 15-17, wherein Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." Years later, she would write, "Children have an awesome sense of wonder and are so trusting and forgiving. We as adults should always remember our child-like faith."
It was only natural then, that she would go on to spend 22 years working at the
Georgia Baptist Children's home, where she would manage the finances of an organization dedicated to helping those described in Matthew 25: 40, as "the
least of these," -- people who found themselves in the most desperate of circumstances. She retired in April of 2013.
The illness that so quickly depleted her physical strength was unable to
overcome her spirit, dampen her love for her family, or diminish her devotion to our Lord. In her final weeks, as her walk with Christ became her final journey home, she comforted family and friends alike with her favorite Bible verse:
"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and
are called according to His purpose. " Romans 8:28
Deep in a list of life's lessons that Mari compiled, she wrote, "Live in the
moment you would die for." In her honor, her husband Jim Carter, her
children, Robbie Cutler, David Carter and Janet Tibbitts, her grandchildren Case, Benjamin, Christie, Katherine, Ryan and Rebecca, her great grandson Daniel, and her extended family, Rebecca Hysong, Robert (Bubba) Cutler,
Janet Carter, and Greg and Susan Bernard will strive to live those words while
missing her terribly, cherishing her wisdom, and loving her, "to the moon and back."
Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday September 27, 2013at Wilson Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held at the Callaway Cemetery at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, 2013. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to the Georgia Baptist Children's Home, 505 Water Works Road, Palmetto, GA 30268.