Mary Agnes G. Carter

Mary Agnes G. Carter, 85, died Nov. 27, 2020, at her home in Syracuse, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born on June 18, 1935, in South Bend, to B. William “Bill” and Agnes (Clyde) Gingrich. Her parents, and an infant brother, preceded her.

Mary Agnes (nickname “M.A.”) studied piano from age 5-18 but gave it up for her primary passion of art and design when she attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. After graduation, she took a job as an interior designer at Stow & Davis in Grand Rapids, Mich. M.A. co-owned a design business for 15+ years and was a designer at Metternich-Cole until her retirement. Serving as Design Coordinator for Designer Showhouses was the highlight of her professional career. For two decades, the showhouses raised over $100,000 for the Grand Rapids Symphony.

In 2005, M.A. returned to her beloved Lake Wawasee family home to care for her mother. After Agnes’ death, she remained in Syracuse and took over her mother’s volunteer work at Goshen Hospital, where she logged 2758 hours of service over the next 15 years. She was also active in the Syracuse Wawasee Garden Club, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF), and was a longtime member of Brenneman Memorial Missionary Church.

Known for her endless energy and generous heart. M.A. will be missed by those who knew her, especially by her daughter, Christine Hoy, son-in-law, Brian, four grandchildren, Zachary, Nick (Tram), Jon, Alex (Chad), and step-grandson, Davis. She was also dearly loved by several lifelong friends, including Liili, Jan, Marilyn, Lynne, Sharon, and Annette.

In celebration of her life, a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, at Brenneman Memorial Missionary Church of Goshen. Visitation starts at 10 a.m. Interment will be at 2 p.m. at Riverview Cemetery in South Bend, IN. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Goshen Center for Cancer Care or Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF). Arrangements entrusted to Eastlund Funeral Home.