If you ask anyone who knows Patsy “Pat” Carter, they’ll tell you she’s the kind of person who makes a place feel like home. Born and raised in Anniston, Pat’s story is stitched into the fabric of her hometown—and woven with moments of school spirit, deep-rooted love, and family pride.



Pat was born on August 6, 1941, and grew up surrounded by Anniston’s rolling hills and close-knit community. At Anniston High School, she was easy to spot: baton in hand, smile shining bright, leading the way for the band as a majorette. She wasn’t just the class sweetheart in name. Her warmth and energy made her a friend to many, but her heart belonged to one person: Joel B. Carter.

Pat and Joel’s love story began in the seventh grade, blossoming quietly through the school years. In a twist that seems made for the movies, the two secretly married just days before their senior prom. When they stepped onto the dance floor that night, they were introduced as “Mr. and Mrs. Joel Carter,” a moment that set the stage for nearly sixty years of partnership. Their union, filled with love and adventure, lasted until Joel’s passing in 2017, a remarkable journey together that left an enduring legacy.

Life together took Pat and Joel on a winding road: from the vibrant streets of New Orleans to the quieter corners of Decatur and Russellville, before finding their way back to Anniston in the early 1990s. Along the way, Pat built a remarkable career, proudly serving at the Anniston Army Depot and even joining the ranks at NASA during the legendary “Space Race,” a time when the whole world looked skyward in hope and wonder.

But if you ask Pat about her greatest achievement, she won’t mention her career or the places she’s lived. Her eyes light up when she talks about family. She and Joel raised three children, Steve, Sherry, and Marisa, and watched their family tree grow with five grandchildren: Patrick, Taylor, James, Joleigh, and Carter. Today, Pat’s life is further brightened by her two great-grandchildren, Anne Taylor and Joel Daniel, whose laughter fills her days with new joy.

These days, Pat calls Legacy Village of Jacksonville home, where she continues to share her warmth and stories with neighbors and friends. Pat’s days are rich with the simple pleasures she loves: the taste of good chocolate, leisurely afternoons browsing Dillard’s, and the quiet comfort of her loyal dog, Izzy. Whether she’s sharing old stories or simply enjoying the company of those she loves most, Pat reminds us that a life well-lived is built on kindness, resilience, and a heart that welcomes everyone in.

To know Pat Carter is to know the meaning of devotion to family, to community, and to the moments, big and small, that make life beautiful.