LAURIE Carter, a bootstudder at Carlton for more than 25 years and a Life Member of the Club he supported since his childhood, has passed away just eight days short of his 93rd birthday.
Carter’s association with the Club as a senior staff member can be sourced to the Premiership year of 1982, and formally ended in the final home and away round of 2007 – co-incidentally the last Carlton appearances of both Lance Whitnall and Josh Kennedy - against Melbourne at the MCG.
He had previously served as a bootstudder for the reserve grade team through the late 1970s, but followed the mighty Blues from his early years, as his daughter Jenny Hoar explained.
“Laurie’s father was a jockey and later an SP bookie, but May his Mum didn’t have much time for the races and was a mad Carlton supporter,” Jenny said.
“I used to go to the footy with Dad and May and stand on steel cans in the outer. May always took a thermos and found her place on the fence at the old Heatley Stand end near the players’ race. That was from 9am, she was there for the whole day - and they were great days.
“Laurie was a builder by trade, and he did a lot of renovations for the homes of Carlton players boots. Dad got on well with the coaches and the players, particularly Brett Ratten who shared his love for the races.
“Carlton meant everything to him. His life revolved around Carlton and he never cared about not getting paid, because working at Carlton was a labour of love for him.”
In December 2008, Laurie was awarded Life Membership at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. He was bestowed with the honour alongside former Carlton footballer Simon Wiggins, with the then President Stephen Kernahan making the presentations.
Laurie was last seen at a Club function in March this year, when fellow Life Members gathered for the annual Luncheon at Kew Golf Club. He passed away last Saturday night at his son Jeff’s house in Bellingen on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.
“Dad had asthma since he was three and his lungs went in the end. He was fine up until the last five years and then suffered regular bouts of pneumonia. In the end he chose to go off his medication and he still had his marbles.”
Laurie’s wife Anita pre-deceased him in 2002, and their son Peter in 2018. Laurie is survived by his 94 year-old sister Dorothy, son Jeff, daughter Jenny, seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
A private service for Laurie Carter will be held at the family’s request, and the Carlton players will wear black armbands as a mark of respect in Saturday night’s match with Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium.
