Obituary of Lesley Carter

May 20, 2022

Lesley Jane Carter, youngest daughter of Robert and Betty Woolley, died on May 20 at age 54 of respiratory complications from COVID. Lesley is survived by her two sons, Ryan and Sean, her father, sister, many nieces, nephews, cousins and family, her former husband and her beloved labrador retriever, Bear.

Lesley was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. From her early working life after school and subsequently, Lesley developed long standing friendships. She will be remembered by those she worked with as engaging and outward looking. She had a quick wit, infectious laugh and great energy. Lesley could also be forceful and determined – many will remember the story of the time she stared down a Maori in a dispute over who was next in line for a taxi.

Early on, she showed an adventurous spirit, spending a year traveling around the world with her sister. Her travels included journeying upriver to Dal Lake in Kashmir, trekking across India, spending time in Thailand and Australia before trekking across the US. These experiences catalysed her interest in travel and sense of adventure, and after returning, she started her studies and work in the travel and hospitality industry.

On her second trip round the world, she met her future husband (a young American naval officer) in Australia and after a whirlwind romance married him in Hawaii in a traditional native Hawaiian ceremony. They were married for many years, living in Hawaii, Boston and eventually settling in New York.

Her proudest moment was when she and her then-husband adopted infants Ryan and Sean from Korea in 2011. A fierce protector of her children, she once fought a swarm of yellow jackets (in vain) that ultimately chased them into the car. Before tragedy struck she saw the boys into middle school and will never stop loving them.

A long-time resident of Brooklyn Heights, Lesley was known in the neighborhood for her cheer and her love of animals, especially dogs. Always free with a dog treat and a pet, she knew every dog in a 10 block radius, and they her. A quick walk to the market could sometimes take hours as she stopped to greet each dog and talk with their humans.

Her love of travel and adventure never waned, as she visited nearly 40 countries over the course of her life, safaried in Africa twice, and explored Egypt, the Himalayas and the Andes.

She will be missed and remembered.

Live Stream of the Memorial Service:

https://www.legacycelebrated.com/lesley-carter/

Funeral Services