Page 40 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021 - Online Magazine
P. 40
Newton Carleton Serving on
So Many Levels
by Jelaine Workman
return, Newton baseball each summer. His first
learned that he job was with Kline’s, working
had been drafted. as a shipping clerk and in the
fur vault. After that, Newt went
A year later, Newt to work at Smith Corona and
headed to Fort learned to work on typewriters.
Lee, Virginia for
basic training; After Newt returned from Korea,
Lois was able to he and Lois went to Wyoming to
visit for five days visit her sister. They had a four-
at Thanksgiving. year-old used car and weren’t
He left for Korea aware that it had recapped tires;
in March 1953. they had a terrible accident from
During his which Lois ended up in a full
tour in Korea, body cast.
Newt worked
on copiers, They moved to Amarillo after
typewriters, the wreck, with Lois still in
and calculators. the cast. Newt worked making
During his time service calls and in a typewriter
off, he played shop. After Lois recuperated,
basketball she worked in payroll at the Air
and chess. He Base. Newt continued to work
said he had to on typewriters. They bought a
learn to work house in the Hamlet Addition of
on calculators Amarillo in 1955. Newt went to
although he had work for Pantex as a production
never done that technician beginning in February
before, but “if you 1966. Soon after, they adopted
know about one their son, Roger. At that time,
office machine, adoption agencies did not allow
ewton and Lois Carleton it wasn’t hard to new mothers to work after an
met through some figure out.” He was discharged adoption, so Lois stayed home
Ncommon friends who in September 1954 and spent the with Roger, and in 1969, they
wanted to introduce them, but next six years in the reserves. brought April into their family.
the timing was never right. Both In 1973, Newt joined the Texas
worked at Kline’s Dept. Store in Newt learned to make friends National Guard and retired as a
Kansas City but in different areas wherever he went because he SFC (Sgt. 1st Class) after 19 years
of the store. They scheduled attended six schools during his in the Medical Platoon. During
times to meet after work, but fifth-grade year. His dad became his time with the National
with the heavy crowds leaving a painter after World War II Guard, Newt often played Taps
the store, they kept missing each and had to go where the work at Veterans’ funerals on an
other. They finally met on St. was. One year, they lived in electronic horn. He continues
Patrick’s Day 1951 on a blind Stockton and Devil’s Elbow, MO; to help with Veterans’ funerals
date. They married on October 6 Granite City and Madison City, when he can.
of that same year. They went on a IL; Kansas City, KS; and finally
short honeymoon to Fort Smith, ended up in Kansas City, MO. Newt retired from Pantex in
AK to visit Lois’s sister. Upon his He graduated from KC’s Central 1997. He and Lois love to travel
High School, where he played
40 Amarillo Senior Link
