ALAN HARLEY CARTER

Alan Harley Carter passed away on February 25, 2017, at Swedish Hospital in Issaquah, WA., due to complications from a stroke. Alan entered this world on March 4, 1950, the first child of John (Bud) and Shirley Carter.

He grew up in the Maltby/Snohomish area, attending Snohomish public schools and graduating from Snohomish High School in 1968. He attended Everett Community College and then enlisted in the Air Force Reserves. On August 4, 1972, he married Marilee Pickard (Everett High School class of 1966) and they moved to North Bend, Washington, where they have lived their entire married life.

Alan was a member of North Bend Community Church where he served as a deacon in the late 70s and in later years enjoyed occasionally attending a Men’s Fellowship Group on Saturday mornings. He served on the North Bend Planning Commission for a brief time and volunteered as a fireman/First Responder with the North Bend Volunteer Fire Dept. for 22 years.

His middle name was somehow appropriate in that he was the proud owner of 2 Harley Davidson motorcycles-a 1979 Shovelhead and a 1998 Dyna Wide Glide. He and wife, Marilee, joined their motorcycle friends for several extended trips on the scenic byways of the western US and Canada. Alan also loved his jeeps and was active in the Wandering Willys Jeep Club for 30 years. Many an outing was made on trails in the backwoods of Washington and many family camping trips took place in “jeep country”.

In the early 1970s, he began working for W. J. Byrnes, a customs brokerage office in downtown Seattle. Later he got his customs brokerage license and, in 1984, opened his own office, A.H. Carter and Associates, where he worked until the time of his stroke in 2009.

Alan had an amazing spirit and attitude during the 8 years following the stroke that rendered him a quadriplegic.

He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Marilee; son, Mitchell Carter (Alison); daughter, Laurie Picha (Michael); 3 grandchildren, Penny and Tim Picha and Hayden Johnson; his mother, Shirley Carter; one brother, Terry Carter (Ann); and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, John (Bud) Carter and his brother, Roger Carter.

A celebration of his life will be held on March 25, 10 AM, at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church in Fall City Washington. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Disabled American Veterans (www.dav.org) or North Bend Community Church. Arrangements made by Evergreen Funeral Home, Everett, Washington (www.evergreen-fh.com).