Lyndia Louise Carter

Lyndia Louise McDowell Carter

Early on the morning of May 21, 2025, a kind, intelligent, generous woman left this world. Lyndia (pronounced Linda) Louise McDowell Carter, 76, accidentally drowned while preparing to irrigate her backyard in Springville, Utah. She was born February 19, 1949, in Walla Walla, Washington to Estell Ross McDowell and Louise Bradberry McDowell. She married D. Robert Carter on June 12, 1982, in the garden of the old Chipman Mansion, American Fork, Utah.

As she grew up, Lyndia became an avid student and loved her teachers. She attended Walla Walla High School where she graduated ninth in a class of 500. She turned down a scholarship to attend Whitman College, a very prestigious liberal arts school in Walla Walla and registered instead at Brigham Young University where she graduated with a degree in sociology and psychology. After deciding that history and English were her true passions, she earned a second degree from BYU in secondary education and later received an elementary education certificate from the University of Utah. Alpine School District employed Mrs. Carter for fifteen years as a teacher of Utah history and English at Orem Jr. High and Lakeridge Jr. High. She earned the reputation of being an excellent teacher who was interesting, fun, strict, and dedicated. She loved historic clothing and often wore it to class. In 1984, the Utah State Historical Society selected Lyndia as Utah History Teacher of the Year, an honor she well deserved. She also taught elementary school for one year.

After leaving teaching, Lyndia entered the world of free lance historical research and writing. While doing research on emigrant trails of the West, she became interested in handcarts, a topic she investigated for more than twenty years. Lyndia presented many lectures on the use of handcards and appeared in several television documentaries on that topic. She wrote articles for the Overland Journal, Beehive History, Annals of Wyoming and the Daily Herald. Her knowledge and research led to her writing the original interpretive signs for the handcart museum at Martin’s Cove in Wyoming. Her on-the-ground research and study of primary documents played an instrumental role in locating Charles Lajeuness’s trading post at the cove. In 2001 the BLM presented Lyndia with an award for her contributions to the history of America’s National Historic Trails.

Mrs. Carter was a loyal member of the Utah Valley Historical Society for more than forty years, serving at least twice in every leadership position, with the exception of treasurer.

Lyndia loved animals, especially her dogs: Nuisance, Dickens, Pugly, Molly, Sandy, Willie and Robbie. They all knew when they had found an attentive, loving home; they loved their mistress unconditionally, and she loved them even more. Her human friends often commented that they would like to have the life of one of Lyndia’s dogs. Many local people likely noticed Lyndia walking her four-legged friends around Springville.

The Springville Senior Center gained its most avid volunteer more than twenty years ago. At the time of her death, Lyndia worked in the center’s kitchen, helped serve lunch, led book club discussions, provided and supervised games after monthly potlucks, and taught a popular, fun, educational, creative class weekly called “Boost Your Brain.” She gradually built attendance up to about twenty ladies. Lyndia believed that interacting with others helped stimulate the brain. She spent an estimated twenty hours a week preparing for her class in addition to her volunteer work at the center. One of her ambitious projects was providing, at her own expense, dried flower arrangements every month for each dining table. She hoped this would make the center a more attractive and welcoming place to eat. For her volunteer efforts she received the Golden Eagle Award for her many years of dedicated service to senior citizens. They will certainly miss this unique and unselfish woman.

Lyndia is survived by her husband, D. Robert Carter; siblings and their spouses: John McDowell (Linda), Ted McDowell, Peggy Bell, Jim McDowell (Paula), and Robert McDowell (Amy); children by marriage: Scott Carter (Babak), Wendy Walker (Max), Megan Christesen (Richard) and Thea Hayden (Brad); 15 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

There will be a graveside service for the family on Thursday, May 29th at 1:00 pm at the Historic City Cemetery, located at 200 W 400 S in Springville. At 2:00 pm that same day, all friends and family are invited to share their memories at a Celebration of Life at the Springville Senior Center, located at 65 E 200 S.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Springville Senior Center in Lyndia’s memory at springvilleseniorcenter.org/donations.

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.