Paul was born on April 30, 1925, in a farmhouse just south of Gurley, Nebraska, to Loren and Dorothy Carter Shelby. Shortly after Paul was born, his father left, and Dorothy raised Paul by herself.When Paul was 4, they were living in Hartville, Wyoming; while there, Paul’s mother died of pneumonia.

Paul’s grandparents,Thomas and Nina Carter, adopted Paul and changed his name to Carter, and raised him in Bridgeport, Nebraska.

At 11 years old, Paul started trapping, more so at the age of 13 and 14 years old. It was the first time Paul was earning his own money. He was trapping muskrats, rabbits, etc.

He learned how to skin from reading books on trapping.

In 1938, the Carter family moved to a great old two-story farmhouse which was located where Bomgaars is now.

The Carters worked for the owner, Ben Dunlap, who was the owner of a grain elevator and was also a feed dealer. It was during this time the Paul learned to trap.

Paul began his schooling at Kelly Elementary School (outside Northport), then Degraw School for 3rd-6th grades, and after that at Bridgeport Elementary Grade School for 7th and 8th. Paul then went to Bridgeport High School for 9-10, but quit to work on the farm because it was during war time; he later went back and graduated in 1946.

After Paul’s “Gramps” died in 1946, the farm and equipment were sold. Paul drove his grandma to Florida to see her sister in June of 1947, and he ended up working a construction site.While there he met Doris Curry and they were married March 14, 1948.Two days after they were married, Paul lost the job at the depot because help was no longer needed, so for a short time he took a job building shipping boxes. After that, he began working at a cabinet shop for a few months. During this time he doubled the size of his and Doris’s house. He remodeled the inside and did electrical work, roofing and plumbing, and Paul did this work all alone.The following year, Doris gave birth to a son, Larry Michael, (Mike), born June 14, 1949. In December of 1954, Paul began working for the Gainesville Fire Department for 6 years.

After the fire department, he worked for the Postal Service, retiring in 1985 after 30 years of service. It was during this time that Doris died; they were married for 26 years.

While still working at the post office, Paul met Luann Jean Larsen and they were married December 2, 1975. Paul built a barn on their 5 acres of land, where he grew oats, and they had a garden and apple trees. Luann, who had been fighting a losing battle with MS for many years, passed away on January 24, 2016, after a marriage of 40 years.

Paul and Luann traveled all continental 48 states while Luann was still well.When she began struggling with MS, after his retirement, Paul decided to buy a house in Bridgeport, and moved from Florida back to his home state. Unfortunately, Luann’s disease had progressed to an extent that she had no idea that they moved. Paul bought machinery at farm sales with the intention of farming his own land. In 1988, Paul bought an 80-acre farmland.

The land was in bad condition and Paul had to do a lot of work clearing out and making the land into a productive farm, raising beans, corn and hay.

Paul then bought a new home to put on his farm property.

Paul later met his third wife, Debra D. Downing, at her place of employment, and they are still married to this day.

Paul’s hobbies were collecting guns (mainly Winchesters), reading, tractors, farming and carpentry work.

When he was young he was somewhat of an artist, and even worked and drew some of his own drafting plans. Paul also had a talent for remembering poems and songs from his time period. He especially liked the song, “A Tree in the Meadow.”

Paul was “saved” sometime in the 1990’s at the Assembly of Christ in Bridgeport, NE.

He was also baptized on September 10, 1955 at Post’s Lake, south of Bridgeport by pastor Mel Johnson.

Paul was preceded in death by his mother Dorothy Agnus Carter, grandparents Thomas and Nina Carter, aunts and uncles Arthur Carter, Fern (Gilbert) Wood and Adelaide Carter, wives Doris Carter and Luann Carter.

Paul is survived by his wife Debra Downing Carter, son Michael (Nancy) Carter, grandchildren Lauren, Jacquelyn and Michael Jr., a great-grandchild and cousins.