The funeral service took place at 2:30 pm PST on Saturday, February 8, 2024
Reginald Carter
June 14, 1946 - January 25, 2025
Dear friends,
Reginald Carter, a beloved member of the Apollo Center of the Fellowship of Friends, completed his task on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 4:40 p.m., due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Reginald was born on June 14, 1946, and joined the Fellowship on February 27, 1979, in Vancouver. He was 78 years old on his last birthday. He lived at Apollo for decades, working with our palm trees, on carpentry, and in the Fellowship office. He often remarked how just the presence of the Teacher could elevate his state and renew his perspective.
He will be remembered for his love of life at Apollo, and his willingness to lend a hand to any octave.
He will be missed.
On behalf of all who knew you, we give thanks.
The Elysian Society
Funeral Service Text: Reginald Carter 2025-02
I feel like I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door.
Bob Dylan
Thank you for your inconspicuous, kind and sweet friendship; I am glad our lives crossed paths.
On the afternoon of Reginald’s service, I gave a friend a short lift to the local deli. He normally does the tolling and knelling of the bells before and after an interment, but there was to be only a private graveside service for Reginald, so, no bells.
I told him I was headed for the service, and he said softly, “Ah, Reginald.”
I like to say that my friend has a story for each and every person or thing. So, he continued, telling about his Reginald introduction which I’d heard from him before, during Renaissance and Apollo days both.
“When I arrived at Renaissance in 1989,” he said, “one of the first people I met was Reginald who said, “Some people here think of Renaissance as a country club.”
To try to get some context to Reginald’s statement, I asked, “Did he say anything else?”
My friend said, “That was enough…”
Reginald was a dear friend. He exemplified those students who inconspicuously comprise the backbone of our beloved school. Outlasting more ambitious aspirers who came, saw, and left, he proved to us all that slow and steady does indeed win the race.
So sensitive, so kind, so thoughtful and such wonderful sweet humor.
It was a privilege to have Reg in my life for which I am ever so grateful.
Reg was a trooper worked in the Library after his octave at the office ended. We happened to have a large collection of CD’s from Douglas Walker’s legacy which few were ready to organize. Liking Bob Dylan, he chose to start alphabetizing with that section of the eclectic collection of perhaps over 1,000 disks.
Coming upon a song he knew, he immediately stopped putting the others in order and sang the song, having memorized all the lyrics! Created memory for both of us because he didn’t remember he could sing it. Never underestimate what you have learned to be where you are. He paid a great price, receiving a greater gift.