John "Jack" Carlton Jr.'s Obituary
Military funeral honors for Major John (Jack) Sam Carlton, Jr. are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23 at The Veterans Memorial Plaza at Teague Park. A private family entombment will take place later in the day. Major Carlton died Tuesday, May 19, at his home on Lake Cherokee from complications with colon cancer.
The son of John S. Carlton, Sr. and Loree Leach Carlton, he was born January 21, 1937 in Longview. He attended Longview High School where he was a member of the Lobo Football and track teams. Following graduation from high school in 1955, he attended East Texas State University, now Texas A&M Commerce, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree, followed being commissioned in the United States Air Force. He received his M.A. from Webster University while in the service.
He served as a navigator on a KC-135 during the Vietnam War and went on to hold several command positions while on flight status, both at home and overseas. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Outstanding Unit Award with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, the Outstanding Unit Award for Valor, among others.
He retired from the Air Force in 1980, after a long and distinguished career. He then became a partner in E.K. Bennet, Inc., serving on the East Texas Marketers Board of Directors for 10 years. He joined the Longview Noon Kiwanis Club in 1980 and became deeply involved in its activities and programs. He was elected to the Longview Noon Kiwanis Club board of directors in 1992 and the Executive Committee in 1994. He served as distinguished Club President from 1997 to 1998 and was recognized as Distinguished Lt. Governor for Division 14 of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International. He then went on to serve the organization as Governor of the Texas-Oklahoma District.
Jack was a member of First United Methodist Church of Longview. He was a member of the Military Officers of America Association, the VFA, the Texas-Oklahoma Part Governor’s Association, as well as being a Hixon Fellow and C.T. Bush recipient. Jack recently received his 60-year membership pin from the Longview Masonic Lodge #404 where he was a Master Mason, 32 Degree Scottish Rite and Shriner.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, John S. Carlton and Loree Leach Carlton. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Carlton; his children, David Carlton and wife Schelley from Charleston, S.C. and Chris Carlton from Princeton, LA; his grandchildren, Jason and Jacob Strasberg and Price and Presley Carlton of Charleston, and John Andrew Carlton of Princeton, LA. He is also survived by his sister, Ann Carlton Walker and husband John of Longview; nieces, Sharon Boles and Katherine Endsley of Longview and nephews, John David Walker of Longview and Steven Walker of Dallas.
Pallbearers will be Doice Grant, John Andrew Carlton, Matthew Boles, Jacob Boles, Grant Endsley, Collin Endsley, Hayden Walker and Garrett Walker. Honorary Pallbearers will be John Morgan, Jerry Cotner, Joe Collier, John Nevel, Guy Orr, David Dunlap, the “Monday Night Poker Boys”, Members of the Longview Kiwanis Club, Longview Masonic Lodge #404, the Class of ’55 and his “Lake Cherokee Family.”
Thanks to Texas Oncology, Larry Frazer and staff, Texas Home Health Hospice, “Nurse Nancy”, Nurse Jerry Neel and physical Therapist Jason Goza and the staff of Louis Morgan #4. Special thanks go out to all the friends, neighbors and members of prayer groups who helped him with his journey, especially Judi, Terri, Glenda and Jerry, Alice and Bob, Beth, Doice and Levi, Fredna and John.
In lieu of flowers the family would ask that you make donations to Patriot Paws at 254 Ranch Trail Rockwall, TX 75032
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