Talu Sitterle Carlton peacefully passed to be with her Lord and Savior on October 1, 2024, after a lengthy illness. She was born in Victoria, Texas on Christmas Day in 1932. The family soon moved to Cuero, Texas where she graduated from high school and was a majorette in the band. After graduation, Talu attended Texas State College for Women for a year before returning to Cuero to go to work for the telephone company. A natural beauty, she was Miss Cuero, 1951.
Talu married James Edward Carlton Jr. (Jim) on September 14, 1952. Jim worked for Magcobar Drilling Fluids, and they transferred often, living in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. Talu loved all the moving as she always enjoyed getting into a new house and making it a home for their three sons. Talu earned her real estate license and sold real estate for 32 years. After long careers, Jim and Talu retired in Shreveport, Louisiana where they were members of Broadmoor Baptist Church and past members of The Petroleum Club and East Ridge Country Club.
Talu was an avid sportswoman. She enjoyed golf and tennis, as long as she was physically able to play. She very much enjoyed bridge and before the pandemic played in five clubs. Jim graduated from Texas A&M in 1949, and together, Jim and Talu loved A&M sports. They attended all the football games, home and away, as long as they could. Talu was so into the games that she would call the plays to herself before they happened. If the games did not go to suit her, she would call the A&M athletic department to offer her advice and suggestions. She let them know she hated the prevent defense as all it did was to prevent you from winning. Later in life, Talu could no longer attend games in person but would watch every Aggie sports event on television. If the equestrian team were on TV, she would watch it!
Talu was predeceased by her husband, James E. Carlton Jr.; her parents, Christian E. Sitterle and Carrie Newman Sitterle; and her brothers, John Luddeke, Henry Luddeke and Christian Sitterle. She was also predeceased by her grandsons, Jimmy Carlton and Dirk Miller, Jr.
Left to cherish her memory are her sons, Jimmy (Jeri), Tim (Kathy), John (Paulette); grandchildren, Carrie Hampton (Dave), Chase Carlton (Addie) and McCall Carlton; great grandchildren, Jayson, Walker, and Weston Hampton; Jacob, Riley, and Logan Carlton; Dallas Hudson; and many nieces and nephews; and great nieces and nephews. Every day she said, “I love my family, and I love my boys.”
There will be a family graveside service at Hillside Cemetery in Cuero, Texas at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Dominic Village Skilled Nursing -Donations to St. Dominic Village may be made online or by check (please note – in memory of Talu S. Carlton) c/o Development Dept., 2401 Holcomb Blvd., Houston, Texas 77021.
Special thanks to the doctors and staff at Methodist Hospital in Houston and Dr. Reyser, staff and caregivers at St. Dominic Village Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
