Obituary of Thomas J. Carter
Thomas J. Carter, age 80, of Libertyville, Illinois, finally stopped telling the grim reaper to go pound sand on September 5, 2024, following a long battle with cancer and a short battle with Covid. Tom, also known as “What the F... Carter” (an epithet bestowed upon him by his colleagues at Camosy Construction), was born to Francis and Catherine Carter (née Brennan) in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and was the third of 14 children. It will come as no shock that Tom came from a long line of Irish Catholics.
Tom was drafted into the Army and served with the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War. Following his discharge, he moved to Illinois at the request of his army buddy, Jerry Mayfield, who introduced him to the love of his life, Mary Jo VanLanduyt. Tom, a die-hard New York Giants fan, learned to love the Chicago Bears almost as much as he loved Mary Jo. It was often speculated that the sweet mustache he sported in the 80’s was to make him look just a little more like Mike Ditka.
Tom and Mary Jo spent their married life in Vernon Hills, Illinois, where they eventually started their own (much smaller) family. They had two children, Amber and Mike, and Tom adored being a dad. He loved coaching Mike’s peewee football team and uncomplainingly picked Amber up from countless play practices and after school club meetings. He was incredibly proud to see them both graduate from college and follow their own paths.
Tom spent most of his adult life as a construction superintendent, first with Jenkins & Boller and later Camosy. Despite his success in his professional life, Tom was notorious for half-finished home improvement projects, much to Mary Jo’s consternation. His true pride and joy, though, was his rose garden, full of blooms given to him by Mary Jo’s Uncle Bill, who also taught him to care for them and convince the little suckers to thrive.
A lover of Motown and country music, Tom was once a legend on the dance floor and the life of the party, before a stroke in 2004 slowed him down. He was also known for his love of Cajun cooking, the beef lo mein at Royal Cantonese, Fox News, and Heineken.
Preceded in death by his son Michael in 2006 and his wife Mary Jo in 2011, as well as 11 of his siblings, Tom is survived by his daughter Amber (Jody) Cornelius, who lives in Lindenhurst, Illinois, with his beloved grandsons, Henry and Ian, who know how to swear properly thanks to Grampy. He also leaves behind his brother Rick (Kathy) of Jefferson, Georgia, brother Brian of Rahway, New Jersey, and enough nieces and nephews to field several football teams, scattered across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Colorado. He is also survived by countless friends who loved him dearly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Urban Muslim Minority Alliance of Waukegan, IL, or the American Cancer Society.