Colleen Jean Carter

Colleen Jean Carter passed away at home on Tuesday, March 11 from complications of cancer. She was 65 years old.

Colleen is survived by her husband, Ken Carter, her daughter, Katie Barbera, her sister, Lisa McEwan and her two granddaughters, Helena Fornasier and Rebecca Snow. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Yvonne McEwan, her sisters Victoria Valentin and Susanne Hutchinson and her first husband, Ben McBride Jr.

Colleen was born on April 1, 1959. She lived in many different places around the United States throughout her life. In 1982, she met and married the first love of her life, Ben McBride Jr., in California where Katie was born in 1986. In 2018 she moved to north Idaho where she met the second love of her life, Ken Carter. Ken and Colleen were married in Coeur d’Alene on August 15, 2020.

Colleen enjoyed cooking and baking as well as being a homemaker, finding the opportunity to create a loving space for her family. She had a lifelong love of music of many kinds, ranging from jazz to classical to country. She loved theater and musicals as well. Colleen was happiest when she was singing. She participated in many community choirs from church choirs to more formal productions including Verde Valley Voices and Coeur D’Alene Chorale. Colleen had a great love of the outdoors including expanding her horizons by walking through numerous forested parcels with Ken and their dog Daisy. There she appreciated natural beauty in trees, landscapes and flowers of all kinds.

A memorial service for Colleen will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 11am at Coffelt Funeral Home in Sandpoint ID, with reception to follow at the Sandpoint VFW Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations on behalf of Colleen can be made to Community Cancer Services in Sandpoint, ID.