Norman McLeod ‘Mac’ Carter Jr.

Norman McLeod ‘Mac’ Carter Jr., age 84, of Tewksbury Twp., NJ, passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan Twp., NJ.

Norman was born on July 21, 1941, in Plainfield, NJ, to the late Norman McLeod and Nancy (Preston) Carter. He grew up in Plainfield, NJ, before moving to Tewksbury Twp., NJ in 1970.

Norman was the beloved husband of Evelyn ‘Lynn’ Colton (Laidlaw) Carter. Married in 1967, they shared 58 years of marriage.

After graduating from The Pingry School, Norman attended Rutgers University to earn his undergraduate degree, where he was a member of Delta Phi fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa Society, and enrolled in ROTC. He later earned his Juris Doctor at Duke University School of Law, and then after serving in Vietnam, earned his Master's in Taxation at New York University. He was an attorney for Carter, Van Rensselaer & Fox out of Whitehouse Station, NJ, an evolution of a third-generation family law firm that was originally located on Wall Street in New York City. 

Norman served in the military for 45 years. He was in the United States Army serving in the Vietnam War, was on active duty in the US Navy JAG Corps during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and served in the US Navy Reserve JAG Corps from 1972 until retirement. He cared deeply about the Corps, was promoted to the rank of Captain, and served as Deputy Naval Reserve Senior Judge Advocate, being the first officer to ever hold this position. He was awarded many service medals including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (two awards), Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Rear Admiral Hugh H. Howell, Jr. Award of Excellence, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (five awards).

Norman was a longtime member of Lamington Presbyterian Church, volunteering in many roles, including Clerk of Session. He was long-time trustee and past president of the Hillside Cemetery Board of Trustees.

Norman was an avid guitar and banjo player throughout his life. While in college, he was a member of a band who played the songs of the Kingston Trio. He loved Martin Guitars and was involved with ‘The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum' as a moderator and avid fan. For over 20 years, he was one of the organizers behind ‘Martin Fest’, an annual three-day music festival that continues today.

Since his early years Norman enjoyed walks in the woods discovering animals, especially frogs, lizards and turtles, and was a voracious reader known to read an entire new book every day. As a child, he loved model trains; later in life he was able to share that passion and his many historical replicas with his grandson. He was an avid railfan who learned local cargo routes and cars and often went to the railway station to watch trains go by. He could solve a Rubik’s Cube in 37 seconds and enjoyed many types of puzzles, as well as emerging technologies and gadgets. He was brilliant, inquisitive and had an incredible sense of humor, always working on a great joke or a new mystery.

In addition to his loving wife, Norman is survived by his two children: Terry Carter, and his wife Mary McManus of Washington State, and Lisa Carter and her husband Warren Johnson of Hawaii. His grandchildren: Caris Carter and Eliot Carter. His siblings: Thomas Preston Carter of Montreal, Canada and Nancy McLeod Carter and her husband Ed Bosco of Province, France.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 10:30am at Lamington Presbyterian Church, 355 Lamington Rd., Bedminster, NJ 07921. Interment will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of Scarponi-Bright Funeral Home in Lebanon, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Lamington Presbyterian Church, 355 Lamington Rd., Bedminster, NJ 07921.

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