John Charles "Cartoon" Carlton

John Charles “Cartoon” Carlton, age 79, died Friday, March 17, 2023, at Amita St. Joseph Hospital, losing a three-year battle with multiple health issues. A Rockdale resident for more than four decades, he served for several years on the Volunteer Fire Department. He retired from Caterpillar (Joliet) in 1997 after 33 years and ten months of service.

He was the King of dad jokes and told the worst pun jokes possible. If snoring competitions had been a thing, his family is certain he would definitely have won the State title and at least three Regionals. (Though there are a few of us who believe he would have made it all the way to National Champion with a shot at the World Title.)

There were no strangers in his world…just friends he hadn’t met yet. Though he loved his family, his job, and his home; retirement gave him the opportunity to pursue his real loves, meeting new people and ROAD TRIPS! Trips to see his favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals; trips to any Jethro Tull or Dr. John or BB King concert within the closest five states, fishing trips, field trips to vintage vinyl shops and swap meets, not to mention Broadway shows in New York or football games in San Diego, trips to New Orleans for Dollhouse miniature events (OK, those were to keep the wife from complaining about all the other trips; but he made friends there too!)

Once he discovered horseshoe pitching, there was no stopping him. He travelled all over the USA and Canada making friends among fellow pitchers wherever he went. (Though his new friends did have one stipulation: if everyone was staying at a campground for a tournament, his tent had to be at least 100 yards from everyone else. (Remember the snoring thing.)

He reveled in being able to attend many World Tournaments, probably because those trips were longer ones. And if you were wondering…he was really not very good at pitching shoes, always threw in the lowest class and rarely won a game. He never cared about the scores. He was meeting new friends and having fun!

John was born July 26, 1943 in Harrisburg, Illinois; preceded by his parents, Elbert Lee Carlton and Eva Mae (Thomas) Carlton, a brother, Thomas R. Carlton and a daughter Vicki Lynn (in infancy), He is survived by a sister, Janice (Buck) Agin, his wife of thirty-seven years, Susan (Cullen) Carlton; five children: Tina (Jim) Prescott, John Jay Carlton, Randall (Rachel) Carlton, Eva (Mike) Lore, and Billy (Brooke) Carlton and four step-children: Jennifer McCarthy, Joletta (Ray) Hyder, Jerry Bush, and Jessica (Robin) McCarthy: twelve grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Memorial visitation for John will be held at Farkas Funeral Home, 3201 W. Jefferson St. Joliet, IL 60431 on Monday, March 27, 2023, from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm. Per John’s wishes cremation rites have been accorded. In lieu of flowers or donations in John’s memory, make a new friend. Spend time with those you love, doing what you love. Or, when the weather warms up…get out and try pitching a few horseshoes!

An additional memorial service is scheduled at Sloan Funeral Home in Galatia, Il on March 23, 2023, from 5-7:00 pm