Our beloved Noah Wayne Carlton, 21 years old, was taken up into the arms of Jesus on November 8, 2024. Noah was born February 12, 2003 in Albuquerque, NM to Pamella Jean Carlton (Novak) and Randal Dee Carlton and was the youngest of 6 children.

In the summer of 2006 Noah, his brother Sam, and his mom relocated to Noah’s grandparent’s home in Elephant Butte, NM as a temporary move, but ended up staying and making a life in Williamsburg, NM. Noah was a gentle soul and kind, but also goofy, mischievous, and got along with everyone. He would be anyone’s playmate; boys or girls, younger or older, and had a heart for overlooked kids. Noah loved his family dearly and was a loyal and true friend. He started at AppleTree Education Center where his mom, “Ms. Pam” worked as a teacher while pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education through WNMU and attended their preschool, after school, and summer programs. In 2008 he joined his brother, Sam, at Manzano Christian School from Kindergarten – 9th Grade and sometimes helped in Ms. Pam’s classroom. Noah finished high school at Hot Springs High where he proudly followed in Sam’s footsteps as a pitcher and infielder for the HSHS baseball team and graduated with the class of 2021. Growing up, Noah was a gifted athlete playing in Sierra County Little League and city basketball league along with Sam who was Noah’s self-appointed trainer and coach but baseball was the sport they both loved and excelled at. Upon aging out of Little League, Noah’s older brother Michael convinced him to begin hapkido under Grandmaster Jump at Silent Stream Martial Arts where in 4 years he advanced to brown belt and had the privilege to travel to Germany with the gym for a martial arts seminar. In 2020 when businesses were losing employees to covid isolation, Noah went to work at Walmart, the new high school hang out, where many students filled in staff shortages. He worked through his senior year and beyond, leaving in 2022 to try his hand at construction. Walmart paid great for a teenager and Noah saved like crazy to buy a car and prepare to go out on his own. In 2021 he was able to pay cash for his cobalt blue 2013 Nissan Xterra which he bought from our good friends Chris and Helen Bolen who were a second family to him. The Xterra was his pride and joy and he enjoyed four-wheeling at the lake with friends and family. In 2023 Noah moved to Portales to be closer to Sam and Emmery and he began working at Southwest Cheese plant where he was employed until his unexpected death. This past summer Noah and Sam joined a men’s softball team formed by their shift employees of Southwest Cheese and he finally realized his dream of playing on the same team with Sam.

Noah also attended Fellowship Alliance Church in Truth or Consequences from 2007- 2023 and the Orthodox Church Fellowship in Clovis from 2023-2024.

Noah is survived by his parents, Randy and Pam Carlton; siblings Ryan Carlton (Jamie), Jesse Carlton (Sylvia), Caitlin Carlton, Michael Carlton, and Sam Carlton (Emmery); maternal grandmother, Martha Novak; Uncles and Aunts, Tom Novak, Mike Novak, Jeff Novak (Sammara), Curt Novak (Sheri), Sherry Carlton and Larry Carlton (Schelley); nieces Harper and Arlis Carlton and nephew August Carlton; along with cousins and friends too numerous to name here.

Memorial services for Noah will be held at AppleTree Education Center in Truth or Consequences, NM on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. with a reception lunch at Fellowship Alliance Church immediately following.

A second service will be held at Central Christian Church in Portales, NM on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. with a reception lunch immediately following.

All desiring to celebrate Noah’s life with the family are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the New Mexico Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.