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John Mack Carter dies at 86; Hearst editor led top women’s magazines

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John Mack Carter, who led some of the nation’s most popular women’s magazines through the height of the women’s rights movement, died Friday at his home in Bronxville, N.Y. He was 86 and had Parkinson’s disease.

The Hearst Corp. announced his death.

Between 1961 and 1994, Carter was editor-in-chief of McCall’s magazine, then Ladies’ Home Journal, then Good Housekeeping, which he led for almost 20 years.

Good Housekeeping had a circulation of about 5 million when Carter left.

In 1970, about 100 women invaded his office at Ladies’ Home Journal — where the motto was “Never underestimate the power of a woman” — to demand that he resign in favor of a woman. He declined, but according to Hearst he then pushed his magazines “to reflect women’s changing roles and needs.”

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In a 1975 interview, Carter said, “There was more discrimination than I thought. I didn’t push our women readers far enough in their self-awareness.”

In 1978, Carter was named Headliner of the Year by Women in Communications and in 1985, the National Women’s Political Caucus named him a “Good Guy.”

Born in Murray, Ky., on Feb. 28, 1928, Carter attended Murray State University before transferring to the University of Missouri to major in journalism. He started his career in Kentucky at the Murray Ledger & Times in 1945. By 1948, he was an assistant editor at Better Homes and Gardens.

He served in the Navy during the Korean War, then returned to the magazine world.

After his long tenures at McCall’s, Ladies’ Home Journal and Good Housekeeping, he was named president of Hearst Magazine Enterprises to develop new titles. He helped launch Country Living, Victoria, Smart Money and Marie Claire, Hearst said.

Carter is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sharlyn; two children, four grandchildren and his twin sister, Carolyn.

news.obits@latimes.com

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