Carlton Leslie Prince

Carlton Leslie Prince

Age 69, a resident of Westville, Oklahoma, passed away Friday, August 11, 2023, at the Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  He was born January 10, 1954, the son of Barbara Ann (Johnson) Prince and Carl Langston Prince, in Blytheville, Arkansas.

The young family moved from Blytheville, Arkansas to Whitehaven, Tennessee, which at that time was a suburb of Memphis where the family grew to include two more boys, Warren Douglas Prince, and Ralph Edward Prince.  Carlton’s entire scholastic career was completed in Memphis.  He graduated from Fairley High School in 1972 and was appointed to The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.  He soon discovered that the submarine and navy life was not for him, and he left to pursue a mechanical engineering degree at Memphis State University.  While attending university he met his future wife, Linda Nobles.  They married and became the parents of two beautiful daughters, Jennifer Leigh, and Stacie Diane.

Carlton became a highly respected corporate engineer, working with a variety of companies that included Union Carbide, Georgia Pacific, First Brands and Bridgestone/Firestone.  His career took him all over the world.  He traveled to England, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Spain and his very favorite, France.  He was especially fond of Paris, France.  His career also took him all over the United States to work and live.  He has lived in Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia, Iowa, Florida, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

One of Carlton’s greatest interests was learning to fly.  He obtained a private pilot’s license and became the proud owner of his own plane, a Piper Tri-Pacer.  That plane traveled with him to more than one state and gave him much joy as well as a few good stories to tell.  Later in life, always the engineering mind at work, Carlton designed and built a canoe from small strips of wood that was a thing of beauty.  He enjoyed taking it out to the lake for a spin with his special fur-baby Buddy, a feisty rat terrier that has been by Carlton’s side for 14 years.

After retiring from the hectic pace of the corporate world, Carlton’s love of music prompted him to attempt to learn to play the banjo.  He loved the instrument and was never satisfied with his own musical skills, but it gave him a lot to talk about with his little brother Ralph, who also played.  He even talked Ralph into attending a banjo camp in Branson, Missouri, with him, giving them both some great memories.  Carlton loved to call his brothers and spoke on the phone almost daily with Warren and Ralph.  He was always the storyteller and always the big brother who had a lot of experiences he liked to share.
Carlton was preceded in death by his father.

Survivors include his daughters, Jennifer Leigh Stokes, and Stacie Diane Prince, both of Knoxville, Tennessee; his grandson, Elias Gabriel Huskey, of Knoxville, Tennessee; his brother Warren Prince and wife Tina of Conway, Arkansas; his brother Ralph Prince and wife Penny of Morrow, Arkansas; his mother Barbara Prince of Farmington, Arkansas; and many nephews, nieces, and great-nephews and great-nieces as well.  He is also survived by his beloved dogs and constant companions, Buddy, and Daisy.

At Carlton’s request, there will be no funeral service held.  He will be buried at the Farmington Cemetery near his father.