Obituary of Mary Shannon Carter

Mary Jane "Terry" Shannon Carter, of Reston, VA, passed away at the age of 92 on Monday, April 7, 2014. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 14, 1921, Mary was the oldest of four children to William Raymond Shannon and Mary Catherine Westaway Shannon. After attending the University of Minnesota in the 1940s, Mary became one of the first stewardesses of commercial air travel with North West Airlines. Mary met William Douglas Carter aboard a plane returning from Alaska. The two were married in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1950. The Carters traveled the globe and lived abroad for a number of years. In 1966, the Carters became original homeowners in Reston. Mrs. Carter was a founding member of the Reston Garden Club, and she stayed active with the club for the rest of her life. In 2001, Mary was widowed after 51 years of marriage. She weathered life's storms with fortitude. Mary was an avid reader, an artist, a Girl Scout troop leader and a cancer survivor. She loved classical music and always enjoyed an adventure. Her favorite place was a cottage on the coast of Maine. Above all else, Mary's family was most dear to her. Mary is survived by her daughters, Judy Carter Hall and Katherine Carter Pate, her son, William Douglas Carter, Jr., eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren (two of whom are still "on-the-way"). Mrs. Carter was preceded in death by her husband, William Douglas Carter, and her daughter, Cindy Carter Buso. A service to celebrate Mary's life is being planned for early June at The Church of the Epiphany Episcopal in Herndon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Reston Garden Club or The American Cancer Society.