Jo Amelia (Amy) Carter
Amy Carter grew up in the South — Shreveport, Louisiana, and made her home in what she called “the deep South,” Hawaii.
Amy was a teacher. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Louisiana State University and submitted her doctoral thesis at the University of Florida. She was an elementary school teacher at Fort Knox, Kentucky, when she met and married her husband Frank — all in the course of a month.
Her aloha spirit was truly unleashed when she taught at Kamehameha Schools. Kamehameha Schools’ mission is to improve the capability and well-being of Hawaiians through education. It was incredibly heartfelt for her because it was a way to be connected and give back to her adopted home, which she loved so much.
Teaching ran through Amy’s veins; she couldn’t be stopped by something as trivial as retirement. Amy went on to create a program recognized by the White House called Tutu Tutorial. The word “Tutu” is Hawaiian for grandmother. Amy’s program brought together a league of grandmothers and equipped them to go into elementary schools to tutor reading. While she could only be in one classroom at one time, the “Tutus” were able to spread across the island and reach hundreds of kids.
Ever the teacher, Amy never limited herself to the classroom.
She taught home design.
Do you need curtains? Hula skirts work great.
She taught fashion.
Only your very best table linens will do for a toga party.
She taught cooking.
The best way to keep a turkey tender and juicy is to cook it in a brown paper bag.
She taught music.
Even if you sing off-key, there is no reason not to take on singing the national anthem and happy birthday with the fullness of your lungs.
Amy is deeply missed by her children and grandchildren, John Carter, Claudia Sherry, and her husband JP Sherry, Debbie Carter, Timothy Sherry, and Thomas Sherry.
* This obituary was submitted by a Solace employee. Amy passed away prior to the launch of Solace.