Marie Louise Smith Carter Isley (89) was born on July 19, 1932, in Lynchburg, VA to the late Mildred Smith. She attended public schools in Lynchburg, VA, and graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in 1952. She was selected as the 1952 Homecoming Queen; President of the French Club; and graduated from Temple School of Business in Washington, DC. She had one sister, Madeline Rucker (Amherst, VA) and one brother Earl Jennings (Virginia). After graduation, she moved to Washington, DC. There she met and married Harold Carter, Sr of Yadkinville, NC (deceased); and had six children: Sheila Kitson of NYC (Sebastian: deceased); Gail Carter of Alexandria, VA; Cynthia Carter of Rockville, MD; Jo Anne (Josie) Carter-Zieglar of NYC, (Walter: deceased); Harold Jr. of Greensboro, (Britonia: deceased); and Maurice Carter of Columbia, MD. In the late eighties, she met and married Raymond Isley (deceased). She immensely enjoyed her grandchildren Sharquita “CeCe” Carter; Tarik C. Kitson (Jessica); Kenneth Carter, Jasmine Carter-Huff (Kiana), Joanna M. Zieglar; and one great-granddaughter Zuri. Marie was a devoted and loyal member of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Greensboro, NC, since 1968. She served as President of the Altar Rosary Society, President of Legion of Mary; and was the recipient of the Mother Teresa Award. She also served as a member of the Bereavement Committee; Eucharistic Minister; chaperoned the after-school program; and served as a Personal Chef to Father Prior. She retired from Burlington Industry later known as Sequa Chemicals. She enjoyed traveling and visiting her lifelong Dunbar classmate and “sister” Sara S. Rudd (deceased) and her husband Retired Colonel/Pilot Billy Rudd (deceased) of Newport News, VA. She also traveled with another Dunbar classmate, Jean Baird of Durham, NC throughout several states and Montreal, Canada. In 2005, she traveled to London, England; and in 2006, again, traveled to Toronto, Canada. She enjoyed watching The View, MSNBC, and the Andy Griffith Show. The family would like to give a special and warm thank you to Robin Estes, and her dearest friends Ethel Crooks, Penny Harris and Pat Gill Appling. In addition to her immediate family, she leaves behind three uncles (James Smith of MD, Fred and Harold Smith of Virginia); one brother-in-law (via marriage) (Harold Fields), and a host of beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors, and loved ones.

Graveside Mass will be held Saturday July 9, 2022 1pm at Lakeview Memorial Park Cemetery 3600 N. O’Henry Blvd Greensboro,NC 27405.