Bert, a native of Rocky Mount, NC, was born on August 19, 1948 and raised by his grandparents the late A.D. and Mamie Abernathy. A graduate of Rocky Mount High School, he continued his education studying Engineering at North Carolina State University earning a Batchelor of science degree where he was an ardent Wolfpack fan. Bert then became a Licensed Professional Engineer in 1978 as well as earned several national certifications including Certified Energy Manager and Certified Economic Developer. He spent most of his career with Carolina Power & Light Co. now Duke Energy for 26 years and held electrical engineer positions at several engineering companies.
Bert was passionate about all his hobbies and the communities within them. He valued the friendships he made. He received his first amateur radio license on his 13th birthday and was a life member of the ARRL. His callsign, WA4TLI, was heard worldwide as he communicated with amateurs in over 350 countries. He was a member of the DXCC Honor Roll and had the five band DXCC award and numerous other operating awards. Amateur radio took him to Russia, Madeira, Latvia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, St. Lucia, St. Martin, Aruba and Samoa. His wife and two sons were able to share in the experience by also getting their amateur radio license.
Bert was also an enthusiastic Geocacher with username WE4NCS. He was ranked in the top 100 geocachers worldwide with over 36,000 caches found. He also became a prolific Munzee player again as WE4NCS being ranked in the top 10 worldwide with over 45 million points and numerous badges and special icons.
He supported the Cary Community as a member of the Cary Planning and zoning board for seven years. Additionally, Bert was a soccer coach and president of the Capital Area Soccer League in which both his sons played.
Bert leaves behind the love of his life for 51 years, his wife Barbara Wagner Carter, his two sons Michael (Alisa) and Kevin (Lynn), and his grandchildren, Hayden, Bryson, and Preston.
A celebration of life memorial service will be held at the Christ the King Lutheran Church, Cary, NC on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 2:00 pm with a reception to follow. The family will receive friends at 1:30 pm prior to the service.
Memorial donations can be made to Christ the King Lutheran Church, Heartland Hospice, or the Jimmy V Foundation.
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