Timothy Lawrence Carter crossed over into whatever follows this earthly life at his home in Fortuna on the evening of October 9, 2023, following a struggle with cancer.

Tim was born in Scotia in 1948 to Myrtle and Ernest Carter, and spent the vast majority of his life on the Fortuna property where he grew up. He attended Fortuna Union High School, as well as college in San Mateo and Chico, before graduating with a B.S. in Aeronautics from San Jose State in 1974. He met his future wife and lifelong partner, Gale, on their first day at Chico State in 1968, and they were married in 1969.

He was in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971, stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and at Fort Wolters, Texas, and Fort Rucker, Alabama, before being honorably discharged at Charleston Air Force base in South Carolina. Following military service and college, he and his wife moved back to the family property in Fortuna, where they stayed and raised two children.

Throughout his life, Tim worked at various sawmills, worked as a certified A&P mechanic at the Rohnerville Airport, and had a business repairing and tuning pipe organs. He loved working on various projects on the Fortuna property, everything from building a house and maintaining equipment, to building his own sawmill and crafting beautiful wood structures. He grew a vegetable garden almost every year, and enjoyed taking care of whatever animals were in residence on the farm, be it cows, chickens, cats or dogs. The dogs always loved following him around the place, and keeping him company at home. He restored an old cider press, and for many years made apple cider each fall that there was a good crop. He loved introducing children to the cider-making process, and would host cider-making parties with friends and family.

He always loved the outdoors, be it sitting and watching the birds, backpacking in the high country (especially the Trinity Alps Wilderness), fishing, or doing a little logging and working in his sawmill. He passed this love of the outdoors on to his kids from a very early age.

Tim is survived by his wife of 54 years, Gale Griffin, his son Arlen Carter-Griffin, his daughter-in-law Mercedes Scoles, his daughter Carrie Carter-Griffin, and three siblings, as well as several dogs who just adored him.

Tim did not want a funeral or memorial service, but will be cremated and his ashes brought home to the land he loved so much.

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