Los Angeles
County
Biographies
ROBERT MATHEW CHESSER CARTER
Robert
Mathew Chesser Carter is the owner and executive head
of the funeral directing firm of Wilson-Carter, which is located at 208 East
Garvey Avenue in Monterey Park.
Bob,
as he is known locally and among his friends in the funeral business, is an
outstanding citizen and an asset to his community through the leading part he
has taken in many worthwhile activities.
Mr.
Carter is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and was born on January 31, 1898,
the son of Joseph and Minnie Carter.
Shortly after he was born, the Carter family moved to Winnipeg,
Canada. There they started the only
glass factory between Winnipeg and Vancouver, at Calgary, Alberta, and the
first beveling and silvering plant in Alberta, Canada.
Mr.
Carter received his elementary education in Winnipeg, Canada, at the Luxton School.
Following his arrival in California in 1927, he continued his education
studying Business Administration and Business Law for four years. His first job in Los Angeles was that of law
clerk with a local law firm. In 1930 he
became the outside legal representative for the United States Credit Bureau,
travelling over the State of California as a collection agent. Mr. Carter became Credit Manager for the
Armstrong Family Mortuary of Los Angeles in 1941. Through his association with this firm, he
became interested in the funeral directing business and in 1948 he became a
licensed funeral director and purchased the Wilson Mortuary in Monterey
Park. The firm name was later changed to
the Wilson-Carter Mortuary.
In
addition to being a successful businessman, Mr. Carter has many outside
activities. A fourteen year member of
the Monterey Park Optimist Club, Mr. Carter holds a life membership in this
organization. He has served on the board
of directors for five years and is presently serving as program chairman for
this service club. He has also been an
active member of the Monterey Park Chamber of Commerce for the past sixteen
years, and in addition, has been active in the South San Gabriel Chamber of
Commerce for ten years. Mr. Carter also
holds a membership in the Monterey Park American Legion Post No. 397, joining
this organization in 1945.
On
January 31, 1939, Mr. Carter and Miss Leona Holst were married by Judge Arthur
Guerin in Los Angeles, California. Mrs.
Carter is an active member of the Opti-Mrs Club of Monterey Park and for the
past eight years has been a member of the Monterey Park Women’s Club.
Mr.
Carter served in the United States Army during World War I from 1915 to
1919. He was in the field artillery and
was stationed in the Philippine Islands and in France.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 491-493, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES