Grace Elaine Carter

First Lady Elect Grace Elaine Carter, daughter of Delores and the late Ernest Clay Perryman, twin to Gregory Perryman, was born on July 10, 1956. A native of Mobile, AL and a lifelong resident of the Toulminville community, she graduated from Toulminville High School in 1974 and later received her Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from Bishop State Community College in 1990.

Throughout her life she worked as a private sitter, housekeeper, daycare teacher, nanny, and head of two After School Care programs. God was the love of Lady Grace’s life since early childhood. She accepted Christ at the age of eight and was baptized by the late Rev. Dewy Daniel “DD” Chestang and became a member of the Delaware Street Missionary Baptist Church. She was rebaptized in the early 1980s at the Greater Allenville AOH Church of God where she also received the Holy Ghost. Her devotion to God became even more apparent when she received her Bachelor of Christian Education from E. L. White Seminary School in 2005. She accepted her calling as a teacher very early on in her walk with God, serving as the Sunday School teacher at Arlington Street Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of her uncle, the late Rev. Dr. M.J. “Ted” Perryman, Sr. and later under the leadership of Rev. Bruce Hurd, Sr. While at Arlington Street she was entrusted with the position of directress of the Christian Education Department, a department she held near and dear to her heart. After joining Sunlight Baptist Church with her husband, she was appointed the Bible Study teacher where she continued to serve in numerous ways, though she was most known for reaching out to the members with daily/weekly phone calls and having bible study with those too sick to attend. Lady Grace has always been a people person, unable to meet a stranger. God would later use her love for people to allow her to create the Sisters of Grace, an organization for women, by women, to empower women through prayer and God’s word. Lady Grace herself formed incredible bonds and friendships of faith through her own organization too numerous to name but are forever cherished. Lady Grace Carter departed this life on Tuesday December 28, 2021. While we are deeply saddened by her sudden and tragic loss, we rejoice in the life love, and legacy she left behind.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ernest Clay Perryman, her fathers-in-law Lee Ernest Early and Dan Carter, Mother-in-Law, Johnnie Mae Carter, Brothers-in-laws Calvin and Melvin Early and Daniel Carter, and two sisters-in-law Rosetta Grayson and Vera Early.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 34 years, Rev. Cecil E. Carter Sr.; her mother, Mrs. Delores McCrea Perryman of Mobile, AL; her five beautiful children, Cecil (Ramona) Carter Jr., DeKeshia Carter, Deacon Joe (Elaine) Brown of Mobile, AL, Jeffrey (Teresa Padilla) Brown of San Diego, CA, and Dr. Davia “Dee” Carter of Mobile, AL;; twelve beautiful grandchildren, Kendra, Jacoby, Cameron, Kari (Darius Moore), Ehron, Arthur Jr., Jaylynn, Leonard “Leo”, Joelle, all of Mobile, AL, Alena, Brie “BB”, and Khaleal of California; one great-grandson, August, as well as her beloved dog, Gucci; five beautiful sisters, Leda (Woodrow) Pettway, Marsha (George) Mickles, Evon Craig, Mary Faye Perryman, and Angela (Jermaine) Perryman Holder all of Mobile, AL; three brothers, her twin brother, Gregory “Greg” and Ernest Jr. “Pop”, both of Mobile, AL, and Samuel “Sam” Perryman of Washington, D.C.; six sisters-in-law, Dorothy Wiley of Rome, GA, Jeanette Shamburger, Karen (Anthony) Bailey, Leona and Christine Carter all of Mobile, AL, and Debbie Early of Pine Hill, AL; two brothers-in-law, Bruce Carter of Mobile, AL and Peter (Bea) Vaughn of Thomasville, AL; a host of uncles, Dorsey McQuitter of Coy, AL and Finnis (Alice) Perryman of Mobile, AL; aunts, two devoted, Lula Perryman and Willie Bell Perryman both of Mobile, AL Wauneda Perryman, Shirley Williams, Pamela Perryman, and Florence McCrea all of Mobile, AL, Loretta Stevens Thames of Atmore, AL Shirley Minor of Compton, CA; two great uncles, Rev. L.H. Perryman of Columbus, OH and Rev. H.L. Perryman of Cleveland, OH; cousins, one devoted, Michael Early of Atlanta, GA; two loving spiritual children, Caromanda Griffin and Minister Maurice L. Woodard, III of Mobile, AL; nieces, nephews, and friends. ten loving godchildren, Jamar Johnson, Kristen Mayberry, Cameron Johnson, DeShaunda Johnson, Shatriaunna (Brent) Midell, Breanna Sharpe, Julian McPherson, Nyimah Midell, and Madison Midell; two god-grandchildren, Timaeus Walker and Bailey McGrew of Mobile, AL; special friends, Bishop Joseph and Eliza Simmons Sr. of Mobile, AL, Gwendolyn Farris of Stone Mountain, GA, Gwenda Thomas, Darrius Walker-McGrew, and Marilyn (Ronnie) Showers of Mobile, AL. 

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