Obituary of Rebecca Carter

A much-loved member of the Santa Cruz community, Rebecca lived in Soquel for 39 years. Rebecca was one of 16 children born to Harry and Ida (Birnbaum) Blumberg. She was the only daughter and the second youngest child; she was the last living member of her birth family. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Rebecca graduated with a degree in sociology from Brooklyn College in 1945. But before that, at the age of 17, she met her future husband David Carter and married him at the age of 18. Unusual for many women of her era, Rebecca was dedicated to having a career as well as a family. She obtained her masters in psychiatric social work from the University of Chicago in 1947 and worked at the VA hospital in Palo Alto while David pursued graduate work at Stanford. The family story is that she was always given the toughest cases there. Rebecca took time off to raise three children. In 1961, starting when the youngest member of the family was only a few months old, she managed the family's home life in Chandigarh, India, and eight years later in Israel, during Dave's two sabbatical years abroad. But by the time her youngest child was in elementary school, she returned to her career. She first worked at a school for emotionally disturbed children and then in the psych ward at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. She rounded out her working life with 17 years spent as a universally-beloved psychological counselor at the University of California-Santa Cruz, College VIII. She retired in 1990. Rebecca loved travel, good food, and good books. She was a quiet if fierce feminist. When her daughter's high-school counselor questioned why a girl might want to study more than two years of math and science, she showed up at his office to explain just why it might be a girl might want to develop her talents and not be boxed in by societal expectations. Rebecca's deep smile, warmth, and loving kindness were valued by all who knew her. Her wisdom, intelligence, generosity of spirit, empathy, profound decency, and good humor touched everyone. There are two plaques dedicated to her: one at the Capitola Wharf and the other at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, September 8, 11:AM at the family home in Soquel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Southern Poverty Law Center or The Nature Conservancy. She is survived by her husband David; son Joel Carter (Queena Carter); son Paul Carter; daughter Emily Carter (Bruce Koel); granddaughter Inanna Carter; and grandson Adam Koel. David may be contacted at David.Carter7@gmail.com