TTCA Mourns the Death of Legendary Coach Jim Carter

1937 - 2019

Coach Jim Carter (James Ross Carter), 82 years old, of Lubbock, Texas, was called home to his Lord on Thursday, October 31, 2019.  Coach was born in Arkansas City, Kansas on May 1, 1937.  His father, Ernest White, preceded him in death in 1939 in Oklahoma.  His first step-father, Charles Carter, also preceded him in death - he was killed in Germany in 1944.  His second step-father, and the man who raised him to be the man we all know and love, Lester Sprowls, died in 2011 in Arkansas City, Kansas.  He is also preceded in death by two sisters, Marilyn Margaret in 1936 and Janice Nelson of Arkansas City, KS in 2018.

Coach began his 7-decades long tennis career at the age of 12 in Arkansas City, KS.  Coach joined the Army in 1960.  He served in Germany, where he saw the Berlin Wall go up, and Maine.  He was honorably discharged in 1962.  While home on leave for his Grandfather White's funeral, he was introduced to the love of his life on a blind date to a football game.  He married Mary Moore in Wichita, Kansas on June 1, 1963.

His coaching career began at San Angelo Central High School as an assistant coach in 1966.  The the call came from Pete Regus in Lubbock.  In 1969, he moved his family to Lubbock to be the head coach at Coronado High School.  He retired from coaching several times but he just could not leave it behind.  He retired for the last time in 2005.  But then the call came again – could he help out at Monterey High School for a year?  That one year turned into seven when they made him head coach again.  While at Monterey, Coach joined the Monterey Bible Study Group.  He retired again in 2011.  But coaching tennis was his passion and it called him one last time.  His last coaching job was at Cooper High School in 2019.

He lived his life to the fullest, doing the things he truly loved – coaching, attending Bible Study, working in his garden, planning trips down to the last detail for he and Mary.  But most of all, he loved his Lord and his family.  He truly was a man whom all was well with his soul.

Coach is survived by the love of his life, Mary (Moore) Carter of Lubbock, TX; their daughter, Stacy Carter also of Lubbock, TX; their son and daughter-in-law, Gil & Susan Carter also of Lubbock, TX and their two beautiful daughters, their granddaughters, Ashley and Alyssa Carter.

In lieu of flowers, an account has been set up at Lubbock National Bank for the Carter Family for any unexpected expenses that may be incurred (contact Charles Key).