James Stewart Carlton, 92, of Vero Beach, passed away peacefully on Oct. 18, 2014.
He is survived by his wife Joyce Carlton; sons Gary Carlton, and Steve Carlton (Lisa); granddaughters Lindsey Carlton-LeRoy (Evan), Jessica Carlton and Stephanie Carlton; brother Arthur Carlton; nieces Patricia Carlton (Dinakur), Kay Carlton, Marjorie Jo Mock, and nephews Arthur Carlton, Jr. (Pat), Charles Carlton (Kelly), and Jay Bishop (Lanelle).
He was preceded in death by sisters Luella and Lorene, and brother Marvin.
Carlton was born on April 12, 1922, in Florala, Ala., to Methodist minister Arthur Bennett Carlton and wife Myra Stewart Carlton. He studied at Birmingham Southern College before enlisting in the Navy after Pearl Harbor.
After being honorably discharged at the end of WWII, Carlton resumed his studies receiving a B.A. at Birmingham Southern. He later continued his studies at Peabody College, now part of Vanderbilt University, and achieved a Masters in Public Administration.
Carlton was a natural athlete pursuing all manner of sports throughout his life. He met and married Joyce Jackson Carlton while both were teachers in Sylacauga, Ala. They married in 1949 and they were happily married for 65 years.
In 1952, they moved to Vero Beach where they taught and served in the public school system until they retired in 1981. Early in his career, Carlton taught physical education and coached several varsity sports.
For most of his career, he served as a middle school and junior high school principal, where his calm manner and generous spirit inspired teachers and administrators. Since retirement, Carlton and his wife enjoyed traveling and spending their summers in the North Carolina mountains. They especially enjoyed being doting grandparents to their three granddaughters.
A visitation will be held in Vero Beach at Strunk Funeral Home, 916 17th Street, on Thursday, October 23, from 7-9 p.m. A celebration of Carlton’s life will be held at First United Methodist Church, 1750 20th St, Vero Beach, FL on Friday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m.
Private interment will occur later at Crestlawn Cemetery in Vero Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family asks friends to consider a donation in memory of Stewart Carlton to Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County, info@SFIndianRiver.org, which provides need-based assistance to deserving Indian River County students seeking to attend college. A guest book is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.