Jerry Carter, 94, of Norwalk and formerly of Grinnell, died on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at Norwalk Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Norwalk with his family by his side.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM, Thursday, March 12, 2026 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Interment will follow at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Visitation with the family present will be held prior to the service beginning at 12:00 PM.  The family requests for those attending to wear their favorite Iowa Hawkeyes clothing.

Memorials may be designated to the Norwalk Nursing and Rehabilitation Activity Fund and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. The Activity department kept Jerry's sweet tooth supplied with lots of candy and sweets during his time there. Memories and condolences may be shared with Jerry's family at www.smithfh.com.

Jerry Wayne Carter was born April 9, 1931, in Grinnell, Iowa, to Herb Carter and Faye (Bogart) Carter. He was raised in Grinnell and graduated from Grinnell High School. Jerry honorably served his country in the United States Army as a Corporal from 1952 to 1954 during the Korean War.

On October 30, 1955, he was united in marriage to Shirley Hicks in Malcom, Iowa. The couple made their home in Grinnell and were blessed when they adopted their son, John. Jerry was a longtime fixture in the community through his work in the grocery business. He owned and operated Jerry's By-Lo grocery store for many years before later managing Food 4 Less and working at Hy-Vee in Grinnell. Jerry especially enjoyed visiting with customers and friends while working at the grocery store. Jerry's work ethic was unmatched. He retired at age 88 and had hoped to work until he turned 90.

He was a member of the Grinnell United Methodist Church and the VFW. Jerry was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and rarely missed an opportunity to cheer them on including traveling with the family to numerous bowl games. In his free time, he loved being on the water, boating and fishing, and cherished the time spent outdoors.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 70 years, Shirley Carter of Norwalk; his son, John (Shireen) Carter of Norwalk; his grandchild, Indrid (Triston); and his nieces and nephews. When John found biological relatives, Jerry was blessed with two bonus daughters, Zondra (Dan) Hopkins and Carmen Loots. He gained additional grandchildren Nichole (Jason), Christina, Tava and Dalton. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Mary (Les) Byers, Barbara (Bob) Lint, and Linda (Brian) Wilburn.