Geoffrey Carter

Jon Geoffrey ("Geoff") Carter was born in Noblesville, Indiana, on June 13, 1946, to E. Barton and Julia (Riley) Carter, and passed away unexpectedly at his home in Marion, Indiana, on March 8, 2025, at the age of 78.

Geoff graduated from Mississinewa High School, Gas City, Indiana, in 1964, then enrolled in Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University) where he briefly pursued his God-given gift of art, prior to serving in the US Army, including time in Germany. He married Mary Alice Wooten in February of 1970, with whom he had one daughter, Natalie Rose.

While working in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Geoff developed what would become an enduring interest in ice hockey and the Fort Wayne Komets. Extended family outings often included attending a game, creating cherished memories. There was a reminder set on Geoff's phone at the time of his death for the upcoming Komets game.

Also while living in Fort Wayne, as a lifelong lover of cars Geoff became involved with the Indiana Street Rod Association. His writing and photography skills attracted the attention of Street Rodder magazine, which precipitated his family's move to Anaheim, California, where writing and photography led to editing and publishing. During Geoff's time with Street Rodder he traveled extensively and developed friendships that have lasted throughout his life.

When news of his death became known, condolences came in from both nearby and as far away as Alaska and New Zealand, including words such as, "great guy," "wonderful man," "top shelf," "incredible flair in all he wrote," "kind and giving," "gave me my big break," "rare person of intelligence, kindness, and integrity," "a wealth of knowledge," and "a GREAT LOSS to the Hot Rod group."One friend eloquently expressed: "In a business where ego and pretense often stood out, Geoff's great writing skills combined with his lack of pretense and the genuineness of his character from his Midwestern upbringing made him the guy that everyone wanted to know."

Geoff eventually pursued other ventures until his eyesight failed and he returned to Indiana to be closer to family. His marriage had ended, but both he and Mary maintained close ties with their beloved Natalie, who had moved to Indiana, married, and had two children, Jonathan and Annabelle York.

Their loss was immeasurable when Natalie died in 2007, just weeks after having been diagnosed with cancer. A lesser man would have crumbled under such losses, but Geoff soldiered on, filling his hours with a variety of interests including audio books, movies, music (he had a great bass voice), and basically anything that continued to build his mental encyclopedia of knowledge. What a memory he had!

Everything he did, even just putting a name on the envelope of a greeting card, exhibited his artistic flair. He appreciated excellent food, especially Asian and barbecue, but drank his coffee cheap, strong, and black. Though he lived reclusively he also enjoyed long, lively conversations, filled with interesting and funny stories collected through his wide array of experiences.

Geoff is survived by a sister, Anne (Roger) Bainbridge, his grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Per his wishes, there will be no visitation or funeral. A private graveside service will be held at the time of burial at the Marion National Cemetery.

Arrangements for Geoff have been entrusted to the College Park Chapel of Armes-Hunt Life Celebration Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 4601 S. Western Avenue, Marion, IN 46953.