Dona Carter

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Dona Inez Applegate Carter passed away on March 13, 2021, in Beaver, UT. She was born on June 18, 1937 to Lyle D. Applegate and Jewell Dorene Couch. Her family lived on their homestead in Lund until about 1945 when they moved to Milford. Growing up the oldest daughter in a family of 7 children taught Dona how to work, sacrifice and most importantly how to love. Her Dad was a cattle rancher and farmer but Dona contributed to the family mostly by spending time with her mom in the kitchen. For this, they had a very close relationship and from an early age, she cultivated a love of cooking, canning and baking. Highlights from her childhood years were sleigh rides and snowball fights, a baby doll at Christmas along with candy and oranges sent by Grandma Couch in California.
Dona attended school in Milford until she was 16 which was when her mother died. Her time was needed to help care for her father and help raise her younger siblings. She married Sheral Dean Carter on April 16, 1954 in Milford and their marriage was later solemnized in the St George temple on June 6, 1968. Dona’s husband and family reaped the many rewards of her life of service and devotion for the 83 years that she lived it. The wife of a farmer, she worked equally as hard on the farm and at home. Her children will say, “Mom was just always there and she gave us everything.”
Dona was an exceptional cook, seamstress, gardener, decorator, doll maker and had countless other talents. She baked hot rolls for every event and for everyone in her beloved town of Minersville becoming fondly known as, “Aunt Dona.” She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and enjoyed attending the many weddings, blessings and baptisms of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Dona is survived by her husband of almost 67 years, Dean Carter, their children, Lyle and Shanna Carter, Lary and Lisa Carter, Roger and Julie (Carter) Barnes, and Rodney and LuAnn Carter. Her brothers Eb Applegate, Gary (Marsha) Applegate and Bryce Applegate, and sister Nona (Jo) Bradshaw. She was blessed with 15 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and her first great-great grandchild will be born in June.
She was preceded in death by her parents Lyle and Jewell, her sister Dorene and her brother Boyd.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 12:00 pm in the Minersville 2nd Ward chapel (130 W Main Street, Minersville, UT), with a viewing from 10:00 – 11:30 am. A viewing will also be held on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the Minersville church. Interment will be in the Minersville cemetery, under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. Online condolences can be sent to www.sumortuary.com .
“All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother” – Abraham Lincoln

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