Margaret Carter

Published 3:30 pm Thursday, May 15, 2025

Bath — Margaret Lee Carter, beloved mother and friend, passed away on May 7, 2025, at the age of 92 in Bath, North Carolina.

Margaret was born in South Bend, Indiana, on April 4, 1933, to Margaret Murrmann and Horace Wayne Carter, “Doc.” A private practice dentist, Doc also served in the Army as a dentist during World War Two and the family moved often. Margaret quickly learned to make friends and fit in wherever she went. Her mother and aunts ran a music school, and from them she learned her love for music and entertaining.

After Doc retired, the family settled back in South Bend, where she met her future husband Frank Paul Kinsinger. Both attended Purdue University and Margaret joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority (whose reunions she attended into her 80’s). Margaret and Frank married shortly after graduation. The couple lived in Detroit and Middletown, New Jersey before settling in Pasadena, California, in the mid 60’s with their two daughters, Ellen and Anne. Son James was born soon after.

Always resilient and resourceful, after Frank and Margaret divorced, she worked at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles while earning her M.S. in Nutrition Science at California State University, Northridge in 1972 — all while raising three young children. To help care for the children, she found a young graduate student, Sandy, who watched the kids in exchange for room and board and became part of the family. Sandy and her husband Tony Nurse remained loving and steadfast friends for well over 50 years.

Whatever challenges Margaret met, she was determined to “carry on” and embrace life’s pleasures. She was a nutritionist who loved fatty foods and readily served hot dogs for dinner. She loved the attention of men, but preferred being single to married life. Having worn lab coats most of her career, she loved dressing up, wearing bright, blingy clothes, hats, and jewelry. With her ribald sense of humor, she reveled in her children’s mortification, and her friends wide-eyed laughter. When she wasn’t entertaining, she spent alone time writing poetry and reading.

In the 90’s, Margaret moved to a New Horizons, a 55+ community in Torrance, California, to be near her son Jim, daughter-in-law Polly, and grandson Kyle, with whom she was remarkably close (tragically, Kyle died in 2018 at 25 ). The move also shortened her commute to the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center where she worked as a dietician until her retirement. After retirement, Margaret fully embraced her life with her friends at New Horizons, playing bridge, going to the movies, dining out, and attending plays, concerts, and the symphony. She helped lead the Silver Belles Travel Club (with dear friend Susan Warner) and was a member of Sweet Adelines Chorus which performed and competed regionally. She was thrilled, granddaughter Corey Wilson (Anne’s daughter), inherited her musical talents.

In 2016, Margaret moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, to be near her daughter Ellen, and son-in-law, Bill Barnes, once again creating a circle of friends who thrived on her outgoing spirit and outrageous humor. After Ellen and Bill retired to Bath, North Carolina, Margaret soon followed, living in a home within walking distance.

She enjoyed “not doing a damned thing,” except listening to music, watching movies and the birds and squirrels feeding outside her window, views of the Pamlico River, her grand-dogs, and her family who visited often. She missed her circle of friends but quickly charmed her caregivers who loved and cared for her with amazing dignity and dedication. The family can never forget the kindness and love from Evelyn Griffin (and family), Amanda Lewis, Lori Craft, and Sharon Bell, especially in her last days. Margaret’s humor and spirit will be missed terribly by all she left behind.