Donna Hutchinson Carter

Donna Hutchinson Carter, 79, passed away April 18, 2026, at her home in Lexington, SC, surrounded by her loving family.

Survivors include her daughter, Katherine Maria Carter; her son, William B. (Sonny) Carter III (Celeste); her beloved grandchildren, Austin and Seth Carter; her brother, Kenny Hutchinson (Donna); and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, William B. (Bill) Carter Jr.; her sister, Doris Wilson; and her parents, Lillian and Cleave Hutchinson.

A memorial service will be held this Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Thompson’s Funeral Home of Lexington. Visitation will be from 2–3 PM, followed by the service from 3–4 PM.

Born and raised in SC, family was Donna’s everything. She felt an enduring responsibility to make sure everyone she loved was well cared for and had the love and support they needed to thrive. She just absolutely loved to help people, an identity born in childhood and cultivated throughout her life.

Donna had a strong work ethic, proudly cheating the system to work at JCPenney at the age of 14. Work gave her a sense of belonging and purpose that continued until her retirement from Carolina Water Service/ Land and Lab Technologies. She would have never stopped working if her health had been better. And once retired, she continued volunteering to visit shut ins from church and make handmade cards for those in need until her health no longer allowed such activities.

Married to William “Bill” Carter JR for just shy of 40 years (until his passing in 2009), Donna called him, “my soulmate…the love of my life.” Bill was a police officer for the Columbia Police Department and she embraced the challenges of being “a cop’s wife.” They met while working at Zayres Department Store and only started dating after someone dared Donna to invite him to her birthday party. In Donna’s own words, “Always up for a challenge, I took the dare and called…and the rest is history!”

Donna had a very strong faith that grounded and guided her. Her faith in God was unwavering. “Although I know He already knows what I’m thinking, I pour my soul out to God. If I have an issue going on, I pray a lot about it. I pray for guidance, and I ask what I can do to help Him… I have found peace through a deeper relationship with my Creator, and I’m hungry for more.”

These excerpts were taken from Donna’s memoir, I Can Dog Paddle, But I’d Rather Float . In her own words, “I hope that you can feel my love for you ooze out of each chapter and wrap you in a big hug.”

She has laughed, cried, and loved each of us through everything. She will be missed on this earthly plane, but know that she is still watching over everyone and sending a big hug from her heavenly home.

XOXO