Ercel Lee Carter

Reverend Ercel Lee Carter, age 95 of Murray, Kentucky, died Thursday, July 15 at 8:30 p.m. in Murray, Kentucky. He was born in a log cabin in Webster County, Missouri near Springfield on May 2, 1915 to Aubrey James Carter and Effie (Butcher) Carter. He taught there in a one room school with eight grades in the same room, with a wood stove and no electricity, while farming a 360 acre farm with mules. At age 23 he answered the call to preach and served as pastor to several churches. Ercel pastured his home church at Elkland, Missouri for 6 years in the late 40’s – early 50’s, building a new brick church to replace the old wooden structure.
In 1954 he moved to Wilmore, Kentucky, to attend Asbury College in order to pursue his college work to better prepare him for the ministry as a pastor and evangelist. After college, he served pastorates in Altamont and Palestine, Illinois.
He then moved to Abilene, Texas to become the pastor of the mother church for the Evangelical Methodist Church. He was assistant to Dr. J. H. Hamblen, Founder of Evangelical Methodist Churches. Ercel and Irene moved to Murray, KY in 1962 in order to be near his son who was attending Murray State University. During the 60’s and 70’s he was a full time evangelist traveling to hold revivals in many different churches. Bro. Carter loved to preach tent revivals. During summer months he would set up his big tent at many Southern Illinois small towns.
Bro. Carter was the director of Faith is the Victory Broadcast, a radio ministry, for 25 years. Many stations carried the broadcasts to Texas, Missouri, Illinois, and station XEG in Mexico (English.) He was a devotional speaker at WCRA in Effingham, IL every Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. for 25 consecutive years. Programs were recorded in his home radio studio and mailed weekly to the station.
. In the early 60’s Bro. Carter, Bro. Baker, and Dr. Fred Layman, formerly of Marshfield, along with friends and supporters started and built the Marshfield, Missouri Evangelical Methodist Church.
In 1970 with the help and support of his wife Irene and many interested friends and people, he organized the Community Church at Flora, IL, building the first church and later a larger building.
In 1978 Ercel and Irene and a group of interested people started the Buck Grove Community Church at Mattoon, IL serving as their first pastor and then pastor emeritus.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Ercel and Irene Carter Scholarship Fund % Kentucky Mountain Bible College; P. O. Box 10, Van Cleve, KY 41385-0010. The Carter scholarship was established in 1995 for students entering the ministry.
Ercel was a bi-vocational minister for many years, preaching on Sunday and working during the week. He was a Master Electrician and Heat and Air Master. He started Carter Service Company in 1942 in Missouri, which is now being operated by his son and grandson in Murray, Kentucky.
Bro. Carter retired from preaching and work at age 85.
Survivors include one son, Gerald Lee Carter (Mary Ann) of Murray, Kentucky, grandson Phillip Lee Carter (Tina) of Murray, Kentucky, granddaughter Leigh Ann Scalf, M. D. and husband Rick, M.D. of Lexington, Kentucky, five great grandchildren, William O’neal Carter and Hunter Lee Carter of Murray, Ky., Caleb Lee Scalf and Nathan Daniel Scalf (twins) and Jillian Scalf of Lexington, Ky., two step-sisters Joanna Mae Hartman and Billie Johnston of Marshfield, Missouri.
Preceding him in death was his wife, Irene Madge Boggs Carter, to whom he was married on July 29, 1933. He was the son of the late James Aubrey and Effie Butcher Carter.
Visitation will be held Saturday, July 24, 2010 at J. H. Churchill Funeral Home in Murray, Kentucky from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held Sunday, July 25, 2010 at J. H. Churchill, Rev. Randy Lowe and Bro. Jim Harris will officiate, and burial will be in the Murray City Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Rick Scalf, Phillip Carter, Clint Barrow, Brian Daughaday, Chris Drew and Mike Garland. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ercel’s 5 great-grandchildren: Caleb Lee Scalf, Nathan Daniel Scalf, Jillian Marie Scalf, William O’neal Carter and Hunter Lee Carter.