Dr. James E. Carter Jr.

Dr. James Earl Carter, Jr. was born in Kansas City, Missouri on October 13, 1943, to James Earl Carter, Sr. and Anna May Carter (Sneed). He was the second born of the married couple and had one older sister Elaine Carter (Evans). He had a strong heart for the Lord at an early age and attended Paseo Baptist Church with his sister where his mother was a faithful member.
Dr. James Earl Carter, Jr., departed this life January 28, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri.
At the age of 12 years, he joined the church and made a public declaration of his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior wanting to walk a similar path as Jesus did when he entered the temple to teach at 12 years of age. As a child, he was a good student and hard worker and even had a paper route with his Dad.
He attended Lincoln High School and graduated valedictorian of his class. He attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City on a Victor Wilson full scholarship. He majored in Biology with a Chemistry minor knowing that he wanted to become a physician. After finishing college in three and a half years, he worked as a junior chemist while waiting to attend medical school. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia for medical school where he was the only African-American medical student. He faced many hardships being the only black student and would say if it had not been for the Lord on his side he would not have made it. He received the General Practice Award at graduation from MU medical school. His mother, Anna May and his Aunt Esther, paid for him to attend medical school.
In 1968, Dr. Carter married his sweetheart and the love of his life Nina Sharon Carter (Escoe). They met through a mutual friend Jessye Faye Anderson and the newly married couple lived in Columbia, Missouri as he finished medical school. They were married for 56 years.
Upon graduating from medical school, Dr. Carter and his wife Nina moved to the Washington, D.C. area where he had an internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After the internship, he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado where he received a Army Commendation Medal. He exited the army with a rank of Captain. Dr. James Carter also known as "Jimmy" did a Family Practice Residency at Ventura County Hospital in Ventura, California. He was board certified in Family Practice.
In 1973, Dr. Carter and his family moved back to the Kansas City area where he worked briefly at Wayne Minor Neighborhood Health Center before starting his private practice in family medicine.
Dr. Carter practiced medicine for over 39 years with 33 of those years in private practice in the Kansas City area. Many patients remember his first office being in the Citadel Building on 63rd Street before he moved to his own building at 7800 Paseo Boulevard. Dr. Carter served on the staff at Baptist Medical Center, Research Medical Center and St. Joseph Health Center. He also was the Medical Director of the Adolescent Chemical Dependency Unit at Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Carter tried to give everyone the best medical care that he could. He enjoyed teaching and mentoring medical students in their preceptorship. He taught medical students from University of Missouri, Kansas University and UMKC. He also encouraged students who were interested in medicine but not yet in medical school.
Dr. Carter was an active member at Paseo Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon, chairman of the deacon board and taught a young adult Sunday School Class. He also was active in helping to start a young adult ministry called the Koinonia Group.
In 2000, Dr. and Mrs. Carter became members of Grace Baptist Church of Greater Kansas City. He and his wife Nina served together as Sunday School teachers for over 20 years. They first served as co-teachers of the College and Career Class and then the Married Couples Class. Dr. Carter enjoyed helping young people navigate their careers as well as counseling married couples on having a successful Christian marriage. He was also an avid member of the Evangelism Team at Grace where they would share Christ with others.
In 2008, Dr. Carter retired from practicing medicine. He enjoyed tennis, golfing and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Carter served his family, patients and the Lord with great fervor and was guided by the principle of always seeking to do what is right and always seeking to do your best. He was always ready to share his faith and love for Jesus Christ with others and wore a red button that stated "Jesus Christ loves you." He led many people to Christ through his relationships from work, friendships and being part of the evangelism team at Grace Baptist Church.
Dr. Carter had a love for people and will be greatly missed by those who knew him. He truly made this world a better place. Dr. Carter was preceded in death by his sister Elaine (Rufus) Evans. He leaves to cherish his memory: a loving, devoted wife - Nina, two daughters Christy Harris (Michael) and Kimberly Tillman (Steve), four grandchildren - Avani, Madison, Roberto II and Michael, Jr. and a niece - Kellye and great-niece - Ashlee and her two sons as well as other family members and a host of good friends.
Services will be held Saturday, February 1, 2025,11am at Grace Baptist Church of Greater Kansas City 8524 Blue Ridge Blvd. Kansas City, Mo. 64138 visitation 10am-11am. Interment in the National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas.
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