Robert "Elmer" Carlton, 59, of Morristown, passed away, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis. He was born June 10, 1954, at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kan., the son of Robert E. Carlton and Peggy (Knopp) Lahey. On July 2, 1981, he married his wife of 32 years, Connie Elaine Slifer, and she survives.
Elmer graduated from Morristown High School in 1972.
He was a member of Morristown Christian Church, where he was an adult choir member and the 175 year old Missouri Harmony Diapason singing class.
Elmer was also a past member of Morristown Fire Department for 16 years and served as president. He was currently a 17 year member of Fountaintown Community Volunteer Fire Department, where he held the offices or titles of Treasurer, EMS Captain, EMS Lieutenant, Firefighter I and II, Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Instructor II/III and CPR instructor.
He retired from Navistar in April of 2011.
Other survivors include his father, Robert E. (Tonya) Carlton of Morristown; mother, Peggy (George) Lahey of Greenfield; daughters, Rachael (Patrick) Wilhere of Shelbyville and Heather (Perry) Israel of Indianapolis; sons, Kenneth (Lisa) Ailes of Prior Lake, Minn., and Kevin (Carrie) Ailes of Cranberry Township, Pa.; brothers, Kenneth Mark Carlton, John Carlton, and Kevin Ray (Robin) Carlton, all of Gwynneville; sister, Teresa (Robert McClellan) Carlton of Shelbyville, Kathy (Ben) Dice of Shelbyville, Julie (Eric) Neeb of Shelbyville; father-in-law, Bob Slifer of Morristown; grandchildren, MacKenzie Ailes, Haley Ailes, Caleb Ailes, Conner Ailes, Cameron Ailes, Chloe Ailes, Nicholas Pennington, Elizabeth Pennington, Abigail Wilhere and Caleb Wilhere; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, at Morristown Christian Church, 209 S. Washington St. in Morristown and from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013, at the church. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church, with Pastor Fred Hickman officiating. Interment will be in Asbury Cemetery in Morristown.
Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Frazier Chapel, 124 E. North St. in Morristown.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fountaintown Community Volunteer Fire Department, in care of the funeral home.
Online condolences may be shared with the Carlton family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
