Catherine Elias McCarter

March 23, 2004

A Mass of Christian Burial for Catherine (Cass) Elias McCarter, 50, will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, March 26, 2004, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Columbia, S.C., with Msgr. Charles Rowland presiding. Final Commendation and Farewell Prayers will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25, 2004, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, Columbia.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Memorials may be made to The Cass E. McCarter Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Merrill Lynch, 1224 Sumter Street, Columbia, S.C., 29201, Attn: Jan Middlebrooks.

Mrs. McCarter died Tuesday morning, March 23, 2004. Born in Valley Forge, Pa., a daughter of Gen. Albert Elias, U.S. Army (Ret.) and Bernice Hester Elias, she was the wife of John Nichols (Nick) McCarter, Jr.

Cass graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1976. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority where she served as president. She became the General Advisor in 1984 and served as a National Officer (province president) from 1986 to 1993. After graduation, Cass worked for Trio Programs at USC. She founded the South Carolina ad Litem Program in 1984. It became a statewide program in 1988. She served as the Children's Committee member for the South Carolina Bar Association in the late 1980s and was also a member of various House and Senate committees that benefited children.

Mrs. McCarter advocated for children in many ways. A member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, she gave generously of her time, talent and treasure to St. Joseph School and established the first Family Fun Day Ï a total school and parish event that is held annually. Cass served as a member and president of the PTO Board for several years and was president of the School Board for three years. She was currently serving on the school finance committee and as a school volunteer wherever her skills were needed.

In addition to her school activities, Cass spent much of her time on behalf of Children's Hospital. She has served as chairman of Holly Days, co-chairman of Festival of Trees and a member of the Champions Executive Council. She was chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Golf Tournament for several years and also served on various committees. Cass was the sponsorship chairman for the Senior Resources March for Meals on Wheels and the 2004 March for Meals on Wheels honored her for her contributions to that organization. An avid gardener, she was the past president of the Hampton Garden Club.

Cass will be remembered as someone who was vibrant, beautiful and full of life. Her love for her family was her first priority. She is survived by her husband, Nick; her daughter, Lauren Glenn McCarter; her son, John Nichols (Cole) McCarter III all of Columbia; her parents, Al and Bernice Elias of Columbia; her sister, Patricia (Trisha) Elias Jones of Clarksville, Tenn.; her father and mother-in-law, John and Evelyn McCarter of Clover; her brother-in-law, Glenn McCarter of Clover; and nephew, Wylie Glenn McCarter of Clover.