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About the Robert and Phyllis Carter Award
The Robert and Phyllis Carter Award is presented annually to cemetery enthusiast(s) for outstanding contributions to restore and maintain Iowa cemeteries or to educate others about the importance of cemetery preservation. The Robert Carter Memorial Award was established in 1996 and was presented annually by Phyllis Carter of Washington, Iowa, in memory of her late husband. Phyllis Carter died May 19, 2007, and the Award, in both their names, continues to be sponsored by the State Association for the Preservation of Iowa Cemeteries (SAPIC). If you are nominating someone for the Robert Carter Award, please send the nomination to Pat Shaw. Past recipients choose the award winner each July.
Robert and Phyllis Carter Award Recipients
Tama County Commission The members of the Tama County Pioneer Cemetery Commission received the 2010 Robert and Phyllis Carter Award at the Oct. 9th meeting. The original members of the Tama County Pioneer Cemetery Commission were nominated for the Carter Award by Gerald Kopriva of Clutier, Iowa, for their outstanding work in restoring, maintaining, and educating the public about the 28 pioneer cemeteries in Tama County. The members honored in October in Tama County were Joyce Wiese, Ardene Cross, Frank Adair, Loren Emke, and David Currell. Their example is an inspiration to all citizens in Iowa who value its sacred and historical burial sites and who realize the importance of honoring our pioneer forebearers.
Upah Family The Upah Family received the 2010 Robert and Phyllis Carter Award at the Oct. 9th meeting for their service. Bob, Betty and Mark Upah were nominated for the Carter Award by the Poweshiek County Pioneer Cemetery group for their volunteer work in cleaning the Blake Cemetery that is located on their land in Poweshiek County. They also erected a sign and a flag pole and have planted tulips bulbs and mowed the cemetery regularly. The American flag flies continually at the site. The pioneer spirit truly lives on as they maintain this family farm with an old pioneer cemetery on the hill.
2009 winners
The 2009 Robert and Phyllis Carter Award winners were Steve and Kathy Francis of Creston in Union County, who have done restoration work at the Claypool Cemetery. They were also instrumental in acquiring and installing signs for all the cemeteries in Union County.  Steve sprays several cemeteries each summer to control weeds, using his own time and equipment. The Award was presented on October 10, 2009.
Wayne Blessing and Pat Shaw Wayne Blessing of Zearing was awarded the 2008 Robert and Phyllis Carter Award for his restoration work in the Price Cemetery in Marshall County.
Don Wentworth The 2007 Robert and Phyllis Carter Education Award was presented to Don Wentworth at the Reed Cemetery in Jackson County, Saturday, Sept. 22. Don is an active member of the Jackson County Pioneer Cemetery Commission and has helped with the preservation projects at numerous pioneer cemeteries in the county and has assisted the group and the Jackson County Historical Society in developing tours of these cemeteries. Each of these tours has coincided with the release of the first three "Stone Cities" books, which Don researched, organized, compiled and then published at the Jackson County Historical Society. The fourth "Stone Cities" book was written with assistance from the North Bend Writer's Group and focuses specifically on the Spragueville Cemetery, and the two smaller pioneer cemeteries of Summer Hill and Russell Farm located in the immediate area. Don gives  presentations in cemeteries, museums, and schools to persons of all ages.
   
On Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, the Robert and Phyllis Carter Service Award was presented to Ed Strellner of Benton County at the Belle Plaine Area Historical Museum. Ed wasn't able to attend because of a family emergency so Gene Davis, pictured, accepted the award on his behalf. Ed helped establish the Benton County Pioneer Cemetery Commission in 2002. Ed  was nominated for the Robert Carter Award because of his contribution in restoring and maintaining the pioneer cemeteries of Benton County and also in helping to educate others about the importance of cemetery preservation.
Robert Carter Award Winners
Left to right: Willis, Carol, and Brian Hoffman received the 2006 Robert Carter Award on July 8, at Bloomfield, Iowa. They were instrumental in the formation of the Davis County Pioneer Cemetery Commission, have organized numerous fundraisers for cemetery restoration in that county, and actively worked with their local state legislators to get language inserted in the Iowa Code that allows preservationists access to landlocked cemeteries. Pat Shaw, SAPIC president, right, presented the award.
   
2004 The Fayette County Pioneer Cemetery Commission was presented with the Robert Cater Award Saturday, Oct. 10, 2004, at Mount Pleasant Cemetery northeast of West Union, one of the many pioneer cemeteries the commission has restored.
   
 Mike Magee of Waterloo in Blackhawk County, Iowa received the 2003 Robert Carter Award on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003, for his considerable restoration and preservation of the Bennington Township Cemetery. Magee, right, is pictured with Phyllis Carter.
   
 Pat Shaw of Birmingham, SAPIC president, received the 2002Robert Carter Award for cemetery restoration in Jones County.
   
Calvin McVay 2001 Calvin McVay of Winterset. received the Robert Carter Award. Calvin died April 11, 2005.
   
2000 Keith Street of Wapello, one of the founders of SAPIC, received the Robert Carter Educational Award for his "outstanding efforts in education in the preservation of Iowa cemeteries" Keith died Dec. 13, 2006.

2000 Henry and Doris Heaton received the Robert Carter Service Award for their work in cemetery restoration (no photo available).
   
The winner of the1999 Robert Carter Award was Pat Palmer of Hampton.
   
Loren Horton  Loren Horton of Iowa City, one of the founders of SAPIC, won the 1998  Robert Carter Award.
   
Paul Maddy received the 1997 Robert Carter Award for the many years he spent educating groups about restoring cemeteries.
   
1996 Dean Gipple of Columbus Junction, one of the founders of SAPIC, worked diligently to get the original pioneer cemetery legislation passed. He was the first Robert Carter Award winner. Dean died Feb. 9, 2010.