Bridge named in honor of former state senator

JACKSON, Tenn. — The unveiling of a simple roadway sign provides a lasting memory in honor of former state senator Bobby Carter.

“He worked so hard for this area, and to have a memorial where everyone can see, it is very special,” Carter’s daughter Jenny Carter said.

Sen. Carter died in January 2015, but his daughter says his memory lives on in West Tennessee.

“He liked to say he strove to be a statesman, not a politician,” Carter said. “He always had the best interest of West Tennessee in his heart.”

State Rep. Jimmy Eldridge says he helped move a bill through legislature to name the bridge on Highway 45 near Three Way after Sen. Carter.

“Bobby just left a great legacy in our town, so we just want to honor him this way,” Eldridge said.

Eldridge says Carter was known for being involved in the community.

“He was one of the founding members of the West Tennessee Healthcare and served on a lot of boards,” he said.

Family says this is a way to not only remember what he did in office, but what kind of person he was.

“My dad was a true Christian man,” Carter said. “He lived by his faith, an all-around good guy.”

Sen. Carter represented the 27th Senate District from 1995-2002, including Madison, Gibson and Carroll counties.