Stella Mae Carter, 71, of Frankfort, Indiana, passed away July 15, 2024 at IU Health Frankfort Hospital.  She was born on January 10, 1953 in Frankfort to Clayton Oakley and Ruthanna Dea (Peak) Laughner.  She married Ronald M. Carter on May 23, 1970 in the First Church of the Nazarene in Frankfort and he survives.

Stella attended Frankfort High School and earned her GED from Washington High School. She was a stay-at-home mom to five children and was always very active in their lives. She was always a classroom mother, was very active in their extracurriculars, such as dance, 4H, and sports, and was a Girl Scout leader for many years. She later worked several different jobs in retail, in healthcare as a CNA at Wesley Manor, and in private duty home health. She also worked as a Direct Care Staff in several different group homes. Her greatest joy was her family, taking care of others, and loving all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always made the children in her life feel special by giving them little notes or drawings of love. She made each and every one of her children feel special in her own little way. She also was an avid animal lover, loved taking care of house plants, loved to travel and some of her greatest memories are of her time raising her family overseas.  

Memorial donations may be made to the following:

Wildcat Conservation Club of Mulberry

 P.O. Box 271 Mulberry, Indiana  46058

 or 

Help Restore The Beloved TPA Park Aviary

To donate, click the link below

https://gofund.me/5caad982

Visitation and Services

A Funeral Service conducted by her family will be held at Noon on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Goodwin Funeral Home, 200 S. Main Street, Frankfort, with Pastor Gordon Smith officiating.  Friends may visit from 10 a.m. until the time of service at Noon on Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Hopewell Cemetery, Frankfort. 

Survived by:

Surviving along with her husband, Ron are her children: Jennifer Renee Carter of Frankfort, Valerie Elaine (Sean) Galvin of Frankfort, Julia Yvonne (Kevin Pfeifle) Carter of Delphi, Morris Clayton Carter of Frankfort, and Mia Tamiko Carter of Frankfort; sisters: Nina Perry of Frankfort, Joyce Boyer of Frankfort, and Brenda Hall of Frankfort; 7 Grandchildren: Forrest Carter Red Dog, Wyatt Holston, Lilly Holston, Annabelle Galvin, Stella Galvin, Phenix Pfeifle, and Rayna Pfeifle; 6 Great-Grandchildren: Elaina, Emilia, Lincoln, Phoebe Mae, Addison, and Carter.  

Preceded by:

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters: Thelma L. Faust and Martha Embrey, brothers: Dennis Wayne Laughner, Donald LeRoy Laughner, Richard Lee Laughner, and her granddaughter: Natasha Rose King.