John Michael Carleton was born on August 9, 1944 in Little Rock, Arkansas but spent most of his growing up years in Clovis, Calif. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Vietnam War. After the Navy he spent 30 years in the sheet metal industry and was proud to be a part of the Sheet Metal Workers Union for 40 years. John was a musician and lifelong lover of music - he played both guitar and banjo and was a member of multiple rock, country and bluegrass bands throughout his life. He was also a master woodworker whose specialty was building custom guitars and banjos. However, nothing was more important to John than his family and his Christian faith. His last years were spent woodworking, practicing guitar and precious family time with Eva, their children and his granddaughter. John died peacefully on May 29, 2011 after a year-long battle with lung cancer. He is irreplaceable to his family who will most remember him as a loving, devoted family man.

John is survived by his wife, Eva Carleton; his children, Melissa Carleton McLeod, Sarah Carleton-Marshall, Robert Pretty and Scott Pretty; his son-in-law, Michael Marshall; and his granddaughter, Grace Marshall.