Carlton N. Harford

Carlton N. Harford, 78, of Newton died Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013, at Newton Healthcare Center.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Cornerstone Bible Fellowship in Newton. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday with a public Masonic service to follow at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. Memorials in Carlton’s name may be left at the funeral home or the church the morning of the service

Carlton, the son of Harold and Genevieve (Cooper) Harford, was born on Nov. 29, 1934, in Maquoketa. He graduated from Maquoketa High School in 1952. On Nov. 21, 1956, Carlton was united in marriage with Margie Swanton in Maquoketa. After living in Wisconsin, Carlton and Margie moved back to Maquoketa and Carlton returned to school at the State College of Iowa, now called UNI. In 1964, the family moved from Maquoketa to Cedar Falls. Carlton also began working for SCI in the data processing department. In 1970, the family moved to Newton and owned and operated the KOA Campground for eight years. Later Carlton worked in data processing for the Vernon Company for 26 years and as a rural mail carrier for the United States Post Office for 20 years, retiring in 2000. He was a 50-year Masonic Lodge member at the Black Hawk Lodge No. 65 in Cedar Falls and Newton Lodge No. 59, he was active in the Iowa Wildlife Federation, rural mail carriers and the Iowa Republican Party

Those left to honor Carlton’s memory are his beloved wife of 57 years, Margie Harford of Newton; children, Melinda Burgess of Newton, Patti Casper (Randy Wickham) of Montezuma, Sheryl (Darrell) Bailey of Horse Cave, Ky., Vicki (Shawn) Wade of Newton, and Matthew Harford of Newton; his 11 grandchildren; six great-grandsons and a great-granddaughter, due in November; and his beloved puppy, Bella. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Michael, in infancy; granddaughter, Stephanie Chesshire; and his brother, Donald Harford.