Individual Details

Obituary for Joe Thorpe McCarter

Joe Thorpe McCarter, 85, of Boise, Idaho died peacefully, Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at a local care center.

He was born May 30, 1930 in Gooding, ID, to William and Mattie (Thorpe) McCarter joining a family of five doting sisters who claimed that his feet never touched the ground until he was old enough walk.

Joe was raised on the family cattle ranch in Corral, Idaho. He was in the last class of 8th graders to graduate from Corral&s one room school house, and graduated from Camas County High School, where he lettered in football and basketball, in 1948. He spent a semester at the University of Idaho studying Agriculture, but missed the Camas Prairie and returned home to help his parents.

In 1953 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and stationed in Washington D.C. where he served as an M.P. and in an Honor Guard which performed for military funerals and dignitary visits.

In 1957 he met Mercedes Lolley at a birthday party at the Camas Prairie home of her aunt and uncle, Teddy and Levard Hanson, and they were married six months later in her hometown of Portland.

When his parents retired to Hagerman, he and Mercedes took over the family ranch. In addition to ranching, Joe served as a trustee of School District 121 and on the board of Prairie Power, a rural electric cooperative.

In the late 1960&s his interest turned to politics, and he became a delegate to the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. After gaining experience running some local campaigns, he served as Idaho Democratic Chairman from 1970-1974. He also served as co-chair of Gov. Andrus&s re-election committee in 1974. In 1976 he was the Western States Coordinator for Sen. Frank Church&s presidential campaign, and later served as the Western Regional Director for the Carter-Mondale campaign.

In 1977 he and his family moved to Boise following his appointment to the post of Idaho Director of the Farmers Home Administration by the Secretary of Agriculture. At Farmers Home he developed an interest in computers, and in 1981 launched the software startup Agricultural Management Systems. When he discovered that farmers and ranchers were not yet ready to embrace the personal computer, he taught himself to code and created accounting software that was used by schools throughout Idaho and Oregon. He managed his School Administrative Software company until his retirement in 2004.

In addition to politics and computers, Joe's interests were reading, storytelling, carpentry, genealogy, and the New York Times crossword puzzle. He also had a soft spot for all animals, except cattle.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son-in-law, Jim Farrar; and his sisters Marjorie McHan and Agnes McFee.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Mercedes (Lolley) McCarter; children Kate, Bill and Joan McCarter; and three sisters Irma Petrick, Shoshone; Wilma West, Oakland, CA; Eileen Hanson, Jerome; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Joe will be announced at a later date. The family suggests donations be made to the Idaho Youth Ranch or a charity of your choice.

Birth	30 May 1930	Gooding, Gooding, Idaho
Residence	1 Apr 1940	Corral, Camas, Idaho
Marriage	21 Feb 1958	Portland, Multnomah, Oregon - Mercedes Anita LOLLEY
Residence	1982	Boise, Ada, Idaho
Death	25 Nov 2015	Boise, Ada, Idaho
CauseOfDeath		Prostate Cancer

Spouse	Mercedes Anita LOLLEY
Child	Kate McCARTER

Father	William Senter McCARTER (1887 - 1977)
Mother	Mattie May THORPE (1892 - 1991)
Sibling	Marjorie Nadine McCarter (1912 - 1980)
Sibling	Agnes Muriel McCarter (1913 - 1997)
Sibling	Irma Maxine McCarter (1918 - 2016)
Sibling	Wilma Elaine McCarter (1920 - 2018)
Sibling	Eileen Marian McCarter (1922 - 2016)