Richard Dale Carter, age 84, went home to be with Jesus on July 10, 2026, while at home with family under hospice care. He was born on January 29, 1942, the only child of Frank and Mema Lois Carter. Dale was a native of Bessemer, Alabama, and a long-time resident of Daphne, Alabama. He had also lived in Auburn/Opelika, AL, Union, SC, and Enterprise, AL.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Faye Scogin Carter; his loving son, Randall Dale Carter; his precious granddaughter, Rachel Elizabeth Carter, all of Daphne; his aunt, Ann Barnard of Bessemer; and cousins who were very special to him.
Dale was a longtime faithful member of Faith Family Fellowship Church in Spanish Fort, AL (formerly Old Spanish Fort Baptist), where he served as Deacon, Pre-School and Elementary Sunday School teacher, and Awana Helper. He loved helping with other activities and events at the church until unable to do so. He was also a member of his beloved Cummins Sunday School Class.
Dale served in the U.S. Air Force at Lowry AFB, Denver, CO, Homestead AFB in Homestead, FL, and on Guam in support of the Viet Nam War; then he later retired from the USAF Reserves where he was Combat Arms Instructor at Keesler, AFB.
Dale was a 1960 graduate of Hueytown High School, received his BS Degree from Auburn University in 1969 and his MS Degree from Troy State University in 1976. After 32 years of service, he retired from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile as Forensic Firearms Examiner.
Dale was an avid reader, loved history and enjoyed puttering around in his workshop and working on and repairing firearms for friends. He loved his Auburn Tigers and would rarely be seen without his Auburn baseball cap
Our hearts are broken, but we have the perfect hope and assurance that he is now healthy and in the arms of Jesus, and we will see him again someday.
Graveside services (open) will be held at the Alabama Veterans Cemetery in Spanish Fort at 11AM on Thursday, July 16, 2026. Following the service, the family will receive friends at 12:00 Noon in the Coffee Shop area at Faith Family Fellowship, 7100 Spanish Fort Blvd., Spanish Fort, AL 36527.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Faith Family Fellowship Building or Missions Fund, 7100 Spanish Fort, AL 36327, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Online condolences for the family may be made at www.hughesfh.com. Hughes Funeral Home, 26209 Pollard Road, Daphne, AL, is assisting the family.
Oh, how we loved Mr. Dale! He and Mrs. Faye sat in front of us every Sunday at Faith Family. I remember him helping one summer at Kids Camp when my children were small. He was a hit! He will be missed here but I can’t wait to see him fully recovered in heaven with that sly grin on his face!
Prayers for Faye and family.
I grew up with Dale and all his family in the same community and old West Side Baptist church. My condolences and prayers for his family…..
Ross Caldwell
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV)
Knowing Dale, I came to know three things about him very quickly, he loves his wife, he loves his family and he loves Jesus. Because of his love of Christ and that relationship I don’t have to say now, he “loved” in a past tense. Out of that relationship, he shared and poured the greatest gift into so many. I believe one of the reasons Love is the greatest is because it’s not only something you leave with others, you get to keep and take with you as well. . Christ teaches us that Love is eternal. Love never ends never fails. Dale’s Faith and Hope is complete and full now To Faye and his family my heart hurts with yours and rejoices at the same time. Can’t wait to see him again as well as get a rematch of the Awana Grand Prix. (Probably gonna need to rename it to the Heaven Grand Prix now.) I know Rachel seemed to always win those AWANA races but we know it was that extra “Dale’s sauce “ that couldn’t be beat.
I thank God for my brother in Christ and the mentorship. Dale, Thank you for the many lessons you taught me and the many you never knew you were sharing. And Dale, don’t start working on that car before I get there.
Faye, Randall & Rachel, words are never adequate at times like these, and of little comfort. On the other hand, prayer does work. Just know that you have our prayers for strength now and peace in His perfect timing.