Kelvin Harold Carter (21 Sep 1935 - 30 Oct 2023)

In loving memory of Kelvin Harold Carter who sadly passed away on 30th October 2023
Kelvin was born and grew up in Walthamstow, Essex as the much loved only child of Harold and Kate Carter. His early school years were overshadowed by the Second World War; he recalled sights and sounds of the Blitz on London and the wartime work of his father carrying out repairs in North London airfields.
As a bright and diligent lad he was able to gain a scholarship place at the Sir George Monoux Grammar School, in Walthamstow where his love and skills at Art were nurtured and grew, along with other interests and aptitudes. It was in his later years at George Monoux that he first met Rosemary Sweet, although it was only later, when Kelvin was studying for a degree in Fine Art at Reading University that romance blossomed between them, leading to their marriage on 30th July 1960, at St. Mary's Woodford. Both of them were by then newly qualified teachers.
Kelvin and Rosemary moved quickly, after their marriage, to begin life togther in Dover, where Kelvin had been appointed as head of the Art Department at Dover Grammar School for Boys. He was particularly interested in the skills of printmaking and his art studio was Ifilled with old printing presses, and a pervading smell of printing ink!
In the 35 years he taught at the Boys' Grammar School he inspired and motivated numerous pupils to develop their own artistic skills and to an appreciation of Art and Art history. Also within those 35 years he was, with Rosemary, a devoted and proud parent to four sons, cheering them on in their own growth, schooling (all four passing through DGSB) and then their launch into their own varied adult life paths.
Alongside his school teaching Kelvin developed a wider reputation across East Kent as an enthusiastic Adult Education Lecturer in Art and Art History, also participating in and leading life classes for older adults in the area, as well as a voluntary evening life class for A level students of several Dover school based in his Studio A at DGSB.
In his home life he was a passionate gardener creating a wonderful and wildlife friendly garden at his home in River, much enjoyed by his family .He enjoyed poetry and tried his hand at it himself, and built a notable little library of books on Art, gardening and other fascinations. His parent's family connections being on a smaller scale Kelvin was very comfortable and pleased to feel himself an adopted Sweet family member, - the Sweet "clan" being large gregarious and welcoming. He repaid some of the gratitude he felt for this sense of belonging by creating remarkable "Millennium Family Audit" volumes, one about his parent's families, the other devoted to the Sweet family packed with individual mini biographies, and assorted family history accounts and images.
He and Rosemary were keen ramblers on their own, with family or with the Ramblers' Association groups and the Long Distance Walkers group, this an.enthusiasm muted only by Rosemary's illness and her death in August 2009. In the wake of his sorely felt bereavemt Kelvin took up his paint brushes again and created some striking pieces. Some of these works he had printed as fine quality copies, as framed pictures and as greeting cards.
In his latter years he persevered in his independence but was deeply grateful for the support of neighbours. He remained devoted and admiring of his sons, Simon, Ian, Andrew and Jeremy and their growing families: three grandsons, four grand-daughters and latterly two great grandsons, and equally fond too of his daughters-in-law Dee, Lynn and Helen
His last months of increasing confusion and frailty spent in the wonderful loving environment of a Nursing home in Deal were generally happy and contented, and he maintained his irrepressible gentle sense of humour, love of unexpected words, and polite good manners to his final days. He is very much missed, but won't be forgotten, how could he be?