Marian Carol Carter

After a long, full and adventurous life, Marian Carol (Paugh) Carter, 90, passed away peacefully of natural causes in the home of her son in Port Angeles, Washington on the evening of Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

Marian was born in Jamesport, Missouri to Maynard and Mayna Paugh April 28, 1933. She was one of their 7 children. When Marian was four years old, the family moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon. When her mother’s health failed the children were scattered among relatives. Her mother passed away when Marian was nine years old. Being the oldest girl, she was called back to help take care of the boys. Marian graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1951.

Following high school, she met and married Walt Carter on December 1, 1952. They settled in Roseburg, Oregon and raised two sons, Bob born in 1954 and Bill in 1957. Marian was involved in operating many of the family’s businesses over the years including the A&W in Roseburg and Portland, Oregon. The need to travel between businesses brought on the need to learn to fly. Marian received her pilots license in 1972 and flying became a huge part of her life. She served as the chapter chairman of the International Women Pilot’s Organization known as “The Ninety Nines”, flew numerous flights for charity and was named the Oregon Woman Pilot of the Year in 1974 and 1975. After Marian and Walt divorced in 1979, she moved to the Seattle area.

At age 50, she graduated from the International Air Academy. She was soon employed by Alaska Airlines and became an instructor at Highline Community College teaching all subjects related to flying and the airline industry. Working in the airline industry allowed her to travel the world and forge many lasting and dear friendships over the years. She enjoyed traveling to many places in the world, her favorite of which was Alaska.

After retiring from Alaska Airlines, Marian moved to Mesa, Arizona where she resided in the Tower Point Retirement Community. She was active in her community participating in activities, volunteer work, crafting of so many kinds and just enjoying life and the many close friends and family she knew there.  While living there she worked the security gate for the community of Tower Point and later in the security office as a dispatcher at the Red Mountain Community College in Mesa.

When her health began to fail, she moved back to Washington to be closer to family. She resided at Suncrest Village in Sequim, Washington from winter of 2016 until recently moving to the home of her son in nearby Port Angeles.

Friends, family and flying gave her much joy and happiness over the years and she was a friend to everyone that she met! Her smile will be missed greatly by those she leaves behind! Marian is preceded in death by her parents, and her brothers Ralph, Donald, Darrell and Cliff Paugh and sister Joyce (Paugh) Simmons. She is survived by her sons, Bob (Kate) Carter of Port Angeles, WA and Bill (Patricia) Carter of Kenai, AK. She is also survived by her sister Shirley (Paugh) Montague of St. Joseph, MO, brother, Bert Paugh of Springfield, OR and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

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