Mary Margaret Tracy Carter was born April 18th, 1941, in Washington DC, to William Vincent Tracy and Stephanie Sliz Tracy. She was the eldest daughter in a close-knit family of six children. She grew up in Landover Hills, Maryland. 

 Known in Landover Hills as a beauty with a Dolly Parton figure, Mary was also a superior athlete. Her proud Dad, Bill Tracy, often told the story of Mary pitching an entire softball playoff game against a fierce opponent, pitching a shutout and hitting a home run - the only score of the game! They took the championship! 

Stunning Mary caught the eye at a Hot Shoppes Drive-In of David Wilbur Carter, a tall handsome young man from Mt. Rainier, Maryland. A lightning bolt struck, Cupid’s aim was true, and they were inseparably linked ever after. 

 Mary attended St. James Catholic School in Mt. Rainier from first through eighth grades and then St. Patrick’s all girls Catholic Academy in Washington, DC, all the while working at the family’s Landover Hills dry cleaners, Temple Cleaners. 

 After graduation, Mary went to work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a very stellar secretary clerk stenographer. 

Mary and Dave married on June 20th, 1964, honeymooning in Bermuda. On August 24th, 1969, they welcomed with great joy their first son, David Vincent Carter. On January 4th, 1973, they proudly welcomed their second beloved son, Michael Wilbur Carter. With two growing young sons, the daily commute to Washington DC was infeasible, and Mary transferred her government career to NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, a short commute from their home in Bowie, BelAir. 

Mary retired in 1994 after 26 total years working for the U.S. Government as a very highly regarded Senior Secretary. During all those years, Mary and Dave, David and Michael, loved spending their summers and every chance they had vacationing at the beach in sunny Florida and visiting Mary’s retired parents in Apollo Beach. There they met their closest Florida friends, Yvon and Brady Rackard and their sons, Bryan and Barry. The two families had many adventures together and a lifelong friendship. 

Mary and Dave’s first move to Florida was to New Port Richey before moving back to Maryland for Dave’s job, but they realized they couldn’t stand the cold, returning to Florida and buying their dream home in Ruskin. Mary went to work for Miller Florida Homes, and in her ever vivacious way she soon made close friendships with her Boss, Mike Miller, Teresa Ormond, Ray Johnson and Judy Garrett. 

In these past several months, Judy has been a Godsend and our family deeply thanks her for her outstanding help. Our family would also like to thank Tina and her family for all of their help. 

Mary is survived by her two much loved handsome sons, the joys of her life, David Carter of Ruskin, FL, and Michael Carter of Chesapeake Beach, MD, and her beloved Grandson, Nick Carter of West Palm Beach. She is also survived by her brother, John Tracy and her sisters Pat Haley and Betsy Sadler-Pfister. Survived also by many nieces, nephews and close lifelong friends. 

Mary was preceded in death by the love of her life, David Wilbur Carter, who has surely enfolded her in his embrace, never to let her go again. Also preceded by her late parents, Bill and Stephanie Tracy, her Brother Bob Tracy, sister Edie Lolies, and her loved in-laws, David and Dorothy Carter. Mary was a beautiful, outstanding woman. She had so many friends and people who loved her. She always gave 110% to anything she tackled: Wife - Motherhood- Work - Sports - Family - Friendships. If you were going into battle you would want her by your side. Fierce, loving, generous, passionate, athletic, beautiful. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.