Iola J. Carter was born July 31, 1926 to Ernest and Hilda Heppner. She started her formal education at the country school and finished with graduation as a registered nurse from Saint Catherine's in Omaha, NE.

While working at the VA in Hot Springs, SD, she met Erwin Carter. They were soon married and moved to Custer to operate the Coast to Coast hardware store. Iola was also instrumental in getting a hospital started in Custer, serving on the original board of directors and substituting as a nurse.

After Erwin passed from a lengthy illness, she married Joe Carter in 1976 and continued to operate the hardware store until 1997. In addition, with her marriage to Joe, they opened ranching operations in both Custer and Fall River counties.

Innovative, tenacious, and forever resourceful, she spent her entire life as a caregiver to her family and community. Her family was her greatest joy in life. The void she leaves can only be described as a line from a John Wayne script, "Never been a better and never will be!"

Privileged to share in her life are her sister Yvonne (husband Cliff) Hamilton; son Mike (wife Stacy Reynolds); granddaughter Jennifer (husband John Grant); grandson Mike (wife Stephanie Carter) and great grandchildren Terrence, Sharon, Robert, Xavier and Jameson.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial is being established to recognize the critical care nurses that provided exceptional service to Iola in her last few days of her life at Custer Monument Health.

A service will be held for Joe and Iola at Chamberlain McColley's Funeral Home in Custer, SD at 10:00 am on July 31, 2021.