Minnie "Inez" Carlton

Inez Carlton passed away peacefully at home in Odessa, Texas on March 17, 2022, after a long illness. She was born on May 31, 1929, to Talmadge and Theo Doshia Walker in Laurens, South Carolina, where she grew up.  She met the love of her life, Kenneth Carlton, in Corpus Christi, Texas the summer of 1949, and they were married on October 1, 1949.  They had been married for 54 years when he passed away on May 16, 2003.

Inez attended Laurens County Public Schools and the Corpus Christi, Texas School of Cosmetology in 1949.  She continued her education at Odessa College and received her GED in 1977.

Inez was the pastry chef for Bowie Junior High from 1971-1981.  She was a member of the Texas A&M Extension Homemakers, the Odessa Quilt Guild, the Midland Quilt Guild, and the Permian Basin Needle Arts.  She was an active member of Northside Baptist Church until her illness.  During her daughters’ younger years, Inez served on the Dowling Elementary School PTA Board.

She was a born-again Christian, always had a positive attitude along with a ready smile for everyone and will be missed by all who knew her.  Her favorite saying was “Better to laugh than cry”.

Inez was preceded in death by her parents, four of her brothers, her husband Kenneth Carlton, and her youngest daughter Linda (Carlton) Crawford, and recently her younger sister Betty Templeton.

Left to treasure her memory are her daughters Joycelyn (Carlton) Kovacic and husband Damien of Sammamish, Washington, and Donna Carlton of Odessa, Texas, and her youngest daughter’s husband Dan Crawford of Austin, Texas.

Her memorial service will be officiated by Pastor Clydel Chapman at Sunset Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, 6801 E. Hwy 80 on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.   There will be no visitation.