Hilda Grace Carter
20th March 1934 – 23rd February 2016
When Grace Carter passed away last Tuesday, Fethiye lost a stalwart member of the community. Sheila Tongue, Chairman of Fethiye International Group, a local charity that Grace was instrumental in starting, has written these words in memory of her friend and colleague.
Fethiye was home
Grace, like the majority of Fethiye’s expatriate community, first came to this region of Turkey as a holidaymaker maker; then, 15 years ago she decided to make it her home.
Always busy
Never one for sitting still, Grace soon decided to make a contribution to the local community by writing articles for the local English language newspaper, Land of Lights.
She also had her own programme on Fethiye’s local Radio.
Carter Carter had her own radio show
Together with some of her friends, who also wanted to give something back to the local community, Grace developed a Book for Books exchange and a lending library in order to raise money to provide local school children with uniforms, shoes and textbooks and also schools with various educational equipment.
It was from these modest beginnings that Grace and her friends forged Fethiye International Group (FIG) into what it is today.
Grace worked for many on the FIG Committee, of which she was a member up until her death.
Grace also knitted many items, including toys and dolls that were notable for having a different outfit on if you turned them upside down!
A collection of Grace’s knitted dolls
She also knitted innumerable tops for FIG’s schoolchildren and was a competent artist, producing bookmarks and cards with verses and illustrations, all of which she offered for sale for the benefit of FIG.
Charity work
She worked tirelessly to raise funds for local children.
Grace was the archivist for the charity and kept both written and photographic memoirs of all FIG’s activities.
She very rarely missed a school visit, despite it not always being easy for her to get around and got so much enjoyment from seeing the pleasure on faces of the children and teachers, whose lives were enhanced by FIG’s donations.
Grace with Ekrem Çalık, the Fethiye Governor; FIG’s first chair, Susan Tekin, and subsequent chair, Jill Erdoğan
During her eleven years with FIG, Grace helped to contribute towards keeping the FIG shop open on many occasions and, even with deteriorating health, Grace would always be available to help out.
She had many friends amongst the customers, many of whom would call in just to say hello.
Her colleagues at the shop, the FIG Committee, FIG supporters and those who came into contact with her through her charity work, are all deeply saddened by her passing.
Lived life to the full
Grace will never be forgotten.
Grace Carter – lived life to the full
She was a truly exceptional lady who touched the hearts of many and will be sorely missed and by all those who knew her.
It is written that ‘we have but a short time to live’.
Grace lived her life to the full and she did it her way, helping others.
It is now time for Grace to rest in peace while living on in our hearts and memories.
Grace was born in Leicester and was a nurse before coming to live in Turkey.
She is survived by three of her four children – Norman, Brian and Tim – her niece, Kim and several grandchildren.
Grace asked that her body be given for medical research.
There will be a memorial service in Fethiye, full details of which will be confirmed in due course.
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