Gene P. Carter

Gene P. Carter, 85 of Canonsburg passed away on May 31, 2018 surrounded by his family.

He was born on June 14, 1932 in Melrose to Walter and Thelma McClure Carter who preceded him in death. Gene lived most of his adult life in Gilmore.

In 1954, he met the love of his life, Pearl Porcaro, who survives, and they married on June 25, 1955.

He was Roman Catholic and was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Muse.

Gene was an Army veteran who served in Bad Hersfeld, Germany during the Cold War and Korean War. He was a proud member of VFW Post 191 in Canonsburg.

He was employed as a coal miner for Consolidated Coal Mines where he rose to become Section and later Shift Foreman. He retired from Bailey Mine in 1990 as a hoist operator.

Gene loved to fish, hunt, trap and garden. He was a passionate reader and a devoted collector of Native American arrowheads. He also maintained the official title as Christmas Tree Grader where he visited numerous family and friends on Christmas Day to officially grade their tree for the year.  Gene was known as a very tough grader and very few A’s were dispensed. Artificial trees received an automatic F. Gene also dabbled in unregulated ginseng production over the tri-county area.

He was member of the Muse Independent Italian Club and the Westland Sportsman Club.

In addition to Pearl, Gene is survived by his children Gloria J. Buckels (Kent) of Canonsburg, Robert A. Carter (Lori) of Clermont, Florida, and Terry J. Carter (Tammy) of Hinsdale, Illinois.

Gene was known as “Pap” by his seven grandchildren. They are: Kelly Quidley (Eric), Shelly Witzel (Adam), Jon Carter (Dana), Talbot, Tanner, Truman and Turner Carter. Gene was also blessed to have three great-grandchildren, Emma, Ella and Ava Quidley, who will miss their Pap. Uncle Gene will also be missed by many nieces and nephews.

Gene came from a family of 13 children and was preceded in death by his siblings Thelma, Walter, Dortha, Milton, Mary Lou, Lorena, Gerald, Sandy and Ruby. He is survived by his sister Patty Guta of Georgia and his brothers Donald Carter (Carolyn) of Cecil and Larry Carter of Ohio.

In the last year, Gene and Pearl moved from Gilmore to Canonsburg to live with their daughter Gloria and her husband Kent, who helped care for the both of them.

If you were lucky enough to have crossed Gene’s path in life, you would never forget him. To know him was to love him.  Wherever you are tonight, please raise a glass to Gene. He will be truly missed.

Straight, Straight Straight!

Friends are welcome from 2-4 pm and 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, 2018 in Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., Joseph P. Salandra, LFD, owner/supervisor and Darla A. Tripoli, LFD, 304 West Pike Street, Canonsburg, 724-745-8120 where departing prayers will begin at 10:20 a.m. on Friday, June 8, 2018 by Father George Deville . A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. in Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 246 Muse-Bishop Road, Canonsburg. Interment will be in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Road, Bridgeville. Full military rites will be accorded by the United States Army Honor Guard and VFW Post #191 of Canonsburg.