Mary Carlton Obituary

We celebrate the life of Mary Louise (Daggett) Carlton, devoted wife of David Carlton, and mother of three children. She lived and died with enduring grace, dignity, wit, courage and faith. Mary Louise passed away peacefully at her home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday May 3, 2011 in the company of family members, after a long battle with respiratory illness. Mary Louise was born on September 11, 1931 in Taylorville, Illinois, the only child of Ora and Hazel Daggett. Mary Lou graduated from Taylorville High School in 1949 and earned her bachelor's degree from DePauw University in 1953. She earned a masters degree from the University of Kansas in 1978. Mary Lou was a dedicated educator. She was a well-loved elementary and junior high school teacher for over 20 years in the Taylorville Schools. In 1991, Mary Lou and her husband, David, retired from their long distinguished teaching careers. They moved to Colorado, fulfilling Mary Lou's long time dream of living in the mountains. Mary Louise was an active member of the Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs. She was also a 17-year member of PEO-Chapter DL, a member of the DAR, and a member of the AAUW. Mary Louise was an accomplished pianist and performer, winning many piano competitions. At age 10, she won the Illinois State Piano competition held in Chicago. She directed bell choirs for the Taylorville Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. She served regularly as a piano accompanist for vocal and instrumental performers. She loved performing. Late in life she performed living biographical one-woman shows, including “Mothers of the Presidents,� “Beatrix Potter� and “Emily Dickinson.� Mary Lou is survived by her husband, David Carlton of Colorado Springs, her three children, Suzanne Roland of Colorado Springs, Cindy Lou Simonsen of Portland, Oregon and Steven B. Adams of Naperville, Illinois, stepdaughter Nancy Landry of St. Louis, Missouri, stepson Douglas Carlton of Champaign, Illinois, 4 grandchildren, one great grandchild and multiple step-grandchildren and great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held in Colorado Springs at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church of America, located in the Southgate Nazarene Church, 1615 East Cheyenne Road on Sunday May 8, 2011 at 4pm, with a reception following. A second Memorial Service will be held in Taylorville, Illinois at the Presbyterian Church on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 3:00pm with a reception following. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church Building Fund, c/o 1615 East Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80905 or The Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care, 825 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 600, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.