Jennifer Ann Carter

Jennifer Ann Carter, 83 passed away at her home in Missoula, MT on January 27, 2024.  She was born in Springfield, OH, the daughter of Jeane Elmira Browne Carter and David Wark Carter.  Jennifer attended Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and graduated from The Ohio State University in 1963.  She earned her Masters in Public Administration in 1976 from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, CA.

Jennie’s early Human Services adventures took her from the ghettos of Cleveland, OH to Contra Costa County, CA and then Hawaii where she counseled, then created and launched Career Development programming for teens and adults.  She became the Director of the Community Services Center in Rodeo, CA before making a life changing decision to move to Missoula, MT in 1977.

Vacations in Missoula and the adventure of Montana lured Jennie to be a permanent resident and beloved member of her sister, Dana Bunnell’s family.  Soon after she then purchased and began preservation of a special home in Missoula’s Historic District.  She was hired by Missoula Vo Tech (now Missoula College) to design and teach a pre-employment program called World of Work. A colleague described her as “a fantastic listener who captivated her students and they left with confidence to be successful at the hard work of job hunting.”  In 1990, with an entrepreneurial spirit, Jennie started her own consulting business, Directions for Career Development.  She presented more than 35 workshops related to successfully managing one’s work life.  She was commissioned to author two books on job hunting skills and presided over U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service public comment meetings on various natural resource issues including wolf recovery.  In 1999, Jennie became Director of the Missoula County Office of Public Assistance where she and her staff helped countless residents until her retirement.

Jennie was a treasured family member to many outside her traditional family.  She was “Aunt Jennie” to all the kids that she ‘mothered’ for so long and so well.   As “Aunt Jennie,” two generations of the Bunnell Clan benefited from her endless joy in celebrating special family times.  As an active presence in their lives, Jennie made events out of Christmas Shopping, Camp Carter sleepovers, birthday barbeque ribs and baking cookies for football and basketball games. Over the years, those cookies fed a lot of boys on their long rides home and are well remembered. Infamously, she will also be remembered for teaching all her ‘kids’ her own ‘Miss Manners’ course. With her Montana family, Jennie excelled at trap shooting, fishing for steelhead in Idaho and big trout in Flathead Lake.  She had a gift for drawing professional colleagues and lifelong friends around her.   She helped start the Unclub and Breakfast Club gatherings that have been meeting for over 30 years for good food and great conversation.  Jennie served on numerous community service committees and boards, the last being The Missoula Pre-Release Board. Jennie Carter was a recognized icon in the Missoula Social Services community for many years.

Jennie had a special team of very close friends and family that made staying in her home possible. Among them were special long-time friends Carol Marino, Kitty Noel and Lorraine Corra. Her sister, Kathy Bundy, moved from Ohio to be a constant presence in Jennie’s home, together they had so much fun comparing childhood memories. As the final months progressed, this self-described ‘team Carter” continued to make sure all things were better for their friend. The Missoula Fire Department and Partners in home care Hospice must also be recognized for their professionalism and good humor which was much appreciated.

Jennie was preceded in death by her sister Dana Bunnell; brother-in-law William Bundy; and nephews David Bundy and Bridger Reeves.

Jennie is survived by sister Kathleen Bundy of OH; nephew, Jason (Katie) Bundy of AZ; niece Kelly (Rodney) Bundy of OH; brother-in-law David (RuthAnn) Bunnell of MT, nephew Derek (Kimberly) Bunnell of TX; nephew Doug Bunnell & niece Andrea Bunnell of MT; and cousin Dr. Franklin (Linda) Browne of Washington.   Jennie leaves behind much loved great and grand nieces and nephews in Ohio, Texas, Arizona and Montana.