Ray Olan Carter was born in Richmond, Virginia, the only child of Ray Carter and Elizabeth Furry Carter, on Tuesday, June 25, 1935.  He died on Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Panama City, Florida.

Olan grew up in Richmond where he graduated Hermitage High School.  He attended West Virginia University on a baseball scholarship.  Upon graduation, he returned to Richmond to coach sports teams in middle and high school.  He was married to Barbara Honaker Carter until her death in 1984. In 1968, Olan moved his family to Huntington, West Virginia, where he began his career in photofinishing.

On March 1,1986, Olan married Nancy Parker Carter. They moved to Athens, Georgia, where Olan owned and operated a photofinishing business until retirement in 1997.

While visiting friends in Panama City in 1998, they saw a house for sale and purchased it the next day. They joined First United Methodist Church and the Asbury Sunday School class, where they made friends and became active in church life. Olan knew that Nancy would continue to receive loving support from their church family after he departed this life.

Olan joined the Missions team and traveled to many storm-devastated areas to assist in repairing damaged houses.  He joined the Chancel Choir and was an original member of the Hims of Grace (HOGS), a group of men who love gospel and barbershop quartet music.  They perform in numerous small churches in this area. The HOGS will sing at his memorial service.

He volunteered full time at Habitat for Humanity before accepting the position of construction foreman. He loved the people he worked with and liked teaching new owners how to make small repairs. Olan was honored with a retirement celebration at the dedication of the last house he built. It was on his 80th birthday.

Olan is survived by his wife of 38 years, Nancy Parker Carter; two sons, Roy Byrum Carter (Rosemary), Huntington, WV, and Charles Scott Carter (Elaine), Tuscaloosa, AL;   stepdaughter Ann Prater Berher (Steven), Montgomery, AL;  granddaughters Katelyn Brook Carter and Kelly Morgan Berher; two grandsons Kyle James Berher (Hailey), Steven David Carter and great grandchildren, Emma Grace Berher, Addison James Berher, Kali Nicole Johnson, and Beckham Wrae Berher.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 10th at 2:00 PM at the First United Methodist Church, Panama City, FL. The family will receive friends following the service.