John “Rhett” Carter, 24, of Glencoe, Arkansas, went home to be with the Lord on August 25, 2026, at UAMS in Little Rock, surrounded by the people he loved. Though his time on this earth was far too short, Rhett lived a life full of love, faith, hard work, family, friendship, and memories that will be cherished for generations to come.
Rhett was born June 18, 2002, in Mountain Home, Arkansas, to Ross and Misti Carter. He grew up in Glencoe, Arkansas, where he attended Highland High School from kindergarten through twelfth grade and graduated in 2021. Glencoe was not simply where Rhett lived—it was home. He loved this place with his whole heart and would have been perfectly content never leaving. To Rhett, Glencoe was “God’s Country,” and he made sure everyone knew it. He loved the woods, the hills, the green pastures, the trees, and every part of the place he was blessed to call home.
Rhett married the love of his life, Kiley (Webb) Carter, on December 16, 2023. He loved his wife more than anything and spent their life together making sure she knew it. He took care of her, stood beside her, made her feel loved every single day, and never missed an opportunity to live life to the fullest with her. Some of their favorite times were the simple ones—especially evening ranger rides together with their dogs Blue and Moose, enjoying the place they called home.
Rhett worked at North Arkansas Electric Cooperative as a right-of-way laborer. He was a hard worker by nature and took great pride in doing things the right way. More than just being a hard worker, Rhett had a true servant’s heart. He was always willing to lend a helping hand, fix something, work alongside someone, or help in any way he could. He never expected anything in return. Helping people was simply who he was.
Rhett was a family man through and through. His favorite memories were the ones made when his entire family was together. He treasured time with his younger siblings, Tressie and Cooper, and some of his happiest days were spent doing the things he loved most with them. He loved hunting with his little brother Cooper and his faithful dog, Blue, and he could spend hours roping the roping dummy with Cooper. He enjoyed fishing with his mother Misti and his sister Tressie, working cattle with his dad, Ross, and uncles, Heath and Lance, and spending time with his many cousins and extended family.
Rhett loved the outdoors and could often be found doing what he loved most—hunting anything that moved, especially duck, deer, turkey, and dove. He loved farming, working cattle, being in the woods, and simply being outside. He didn’t need anything extravagant to be happy. Give him the people he loved, the land he loved, and something to do, and he was exactly where he wanted to be.
One of Rhett’s favorite places in the world was Day Valley, especially his Grandma Arlene’s front porch. There, he could sit back with a glass of sweet tea and watch the sunset, watch the birds fly, see the cows and horses running, or visit with whichever cousin happened to stop by. Those simple moments were some of the things that made Rhett happiest.
Rhett also loved his friends deeply. He never cared much about what they were doing—he just wanted to be with them. Whether they were hunting, working, riding around, or simply passing the time, Rhett was happiest when he was surrounded by the people he loved. He never met a stranger. He treated every person he encountered with kindness, generosity, and genuine care. Rhett had a heart of gold, and those who knew him will remember the way he could make people feel welcome, valued, and loved.
Above all else, Rhett was a man of faith. His relationship with the Lord was one of the most important things in his life, and his faith was something no one had to wonder about. It shone through in the way he lived, the way he loved, and the way he treated others. Rhett was proud of his faith in God, and anyone who met him could see that faith reflected in his life.
Rhett attended and was a member of Salem Methodist Church as a youth. As an adult, he was a member of and attended Melbourne Church of Christ. His faith carried him through his life, and on August 25th, he entered the gates of Heaven, where he was reunited with so many loved ones who had gone before him.
Although Rhett loved his little corner of Arkansas and was perfectly content to stay in Glencoe, the impact of his life reached far beyond those hills. His kindness, his faith, his laughter, his friendship, his willingness to help, and the love he had for his family touched countless lives. He may have been from a small place he proudly called “God’s Country,” but the love he gave reached around the world.
Rhett is survived by his beloved wife, Kiley Carter; his parents, Ross and Misti Carter; and his younger siblings, Tressie and Cooper Carter, all of Glencoe, Arkansas. He is also survived by his in-laws, Kelley Don and Tiffany Webb of Mount Pleasant, Arkansas; his grandmother, Arlene Humphries of Day, Arkansas; his grandfather, Johnny Carter, and grandmother, Kathy Carter, of Cherokee Village, Arkansas; one nephew; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, a brother-in-law, a sister-in-law, and countless friends who loved him dearly.
Rhett leaves behind a life that was far too short, but a legacy that will never be measured in years. He showed the people around him what it meant to work hard, love deeply, serve others, cherish family, enjoy the simple things, and live boldly in his faith. He never took for granted the people or the place God had given him.
On August 25th at 3:41 p.m., Rhett left this earth and entered Heaven’s gates, surrounded by people he loved. While his family and friends will carry the heartbreak of his absence, they will also carry the immeasurable love, joy, and memories he gave them.
Rhett is home now. And somewhere beyond those gates, he is surely standing on a front porch, watching the sunset, visiting with the ones he missed, and finally seeing the Lord he loved so deeply.
