Beatrice Drusilla Carter

Beatrice Drusilla Carter, 93, of Avondale Estates, Georgia, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, July 1, 2019.
Dru, as she was known, was born on September 17, 1925 in Day Book/Jack's Creek, North Carolina, to Samuel Lee Haney and Thursa Bennett Haney. She graduated from Bee Log High School in Bee Log, North Carolina, near Burnsville, and earned an Associate's Degree from Johnson City Business College in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Dru was among the many bright young women who were recruited to work in Washington, D.C. during World War II. She was employed by the War Department and worked as a confidential secretary on the top-secret Manhattan Project, among other interesting and vital assignments during the war. She was a resident of Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to Atlanta in 1965.
While living in Washington, D.C., Dru volunteered at various inner city youth organizations and Junior Village orphanage. She was the recipient of an annual volunteerism award from the International Rescue Committee for her work with Cuban refugees in the early 1960s. She was a member of North Bethesda United Methodist Church, where she was the church secretary.
After relocating to Atlanta with her family, Dru was employed as an executive assistant with MARTA for 18 years. After retiring, she devoted her time to her love of sewing,cooking, reading, volunteer church work, and her life-long love of gardening.
She was a member of Columbia Presbyterian Church in Decatur, where she participated in Bible and book studies; the Avondale Estates Garden Club, and the Avondale Estates Womens' Club.
Dru is preceded in death by her husband, Burton Miner Carter (2010), of Huron, South Dakota; her parents Samuel and Thursa Haney; and brothers Howard A. Haney, William C. Haney, Herschel Haney, Daniel Haney, an infant brother, Ralph Haney, and a son-in-law, Robert McMullen.
She is survived by daughters Terry Lockman (Gary) of Decatur, Ga; Janis McMullen, Winter Park, Florida; Deborah Carter, Avondale Estates, Georgia, and Virginia Holmes-Bowen, Portsmouth, Ohio.
She leaves behind beloved grandchildren Jennifer Lockman Senator, Charlottesville, Virginia; Patrick Lockman , Decatur, Georgia; Katie Chapman, Carlton Landing, Oklahoma; Megan McMullen Jordan, Winter Park, Florida; Robin McMullen Jennings, Chicago, Illinois; Debra Hamilton, Wheelersburg, Ohio; and Jason Bowen, Reading, Pennsylvania. She is survived by 19 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her loving and gracious longtime caregiver companions Peggy Manda Goeller, Danita Robertson Bailey, and Virginia Phillips, all of Conyers, Georgia.
Services will be held on Tuesday, July 9, at 1 p.m. at A. S. Turner and Sons funeral home, 2773 N. Decatur Road, Decatur. The family will receive visitors from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. prior to the service, which will be officiated by her pastor, Reverend Thomas Hagood. Private burial will follow in the City of Decatur cemetery. Flowers are welcome; additionally, contributions may be made in Dru’s honor to Columbia Presbyterian Church , Pastor's Emergency Fund, 711 S. Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30030.