John Wallace Carlton

John Wallace Carlton, 90, of Copperas Cove,  passed away peacefully in his home on Saturday,  December 9th of natural causes.

John was born on November 11, 1933, to Norman  and Johnnie Carlton in Stanford, Texas. Following  graduation from Hamlin High School in 1951 he  served in the Air Force for four years. John married  his local sweetheart, Erma Faye Kelly, in 1952 and  they lived at various Air Force Bases throughout the  US. He also served abroad in Greece. Following his  military service John returned to West Texas with  his family where he began a career in public  service.

John and Erma relocated with their two boys, Rusty  and Rodney, for his first public service position as  Assistant City Manager in Uvalde, Texas. He  worked in Uvalde until 1964 when he became City  Manager of Copperas Cove. He would serve the  city in this capacity until 1984. After retiring from the  City of Copperas Cove, he was elected Coryell  County Commissioner and served two terms in this  capacity.

John served as the Copperas Cove Lion’s Club  secretary from the late 1960’s thru 1980s. He & his  family were members of Roberson Avenue Baptist  Church while raising their boys. In later years he  attended Refuge Ministries Church in Topsey.

John, along with Erma, enjoyed following their boy’s  sports activities during their early little league years  extending into college. John was known as “the  man in the bleachers”—never missing a game. He  would continue this role following his grandkids in all  their sporting events as well.

During his younger years in West Texas, John  enjoyed calf-roping/rodeoing and doing ranch work.  After retirement, he loved spending time with his  many friends throughout the Copperas Cove,  Gatesville, and Lampasas communities, working his  land, tending his beloved animals, welding, and  hunting.

John was predeceased by his wife, Erma, in 1997;  his parents, Norman and Johnny Carlton; his  second wife, Leta; and his step-daughter, Patricia  Herron.

John is survived by his wife, Sandra “Kimba”  Carlton of Copperas Cove; his sister, Milbra  Greenway of Andrews (husband, Tommy); son’s  Russell “Rusty” Carlton of Kingston, Arkansas (wife,  Laura); Rodney Carlton of Copperas Cove (wife,  Janet); grandchildren Christy Seidenberger of  Garden City (Eric); Kimberly Cloer of Meridian  (Dale); Cooper Carlton of Copperas Cove (Kasey),  Tara Young-Burse of Livingston (Myesha); Wesly  Atchison of Benbrook (Andrea); Crystal Ramirez  and Robert Becan of Kingston, Arkansas; ten great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.