Darlene Carlton

Darlene Carlton, 96, longtime Ellensburg resident, passed away in her sleep at Ellensburg Senior Living, on Sunday October 4, 2026.

Darlene was born April 20, 1930, in Spokane WA, to Bernice and Glen Harmon. She had one younger sister, Glenna who she grew up with working and playing in the apple orchards of Chelan County.

Darlene was a 1948 graduate of Pateros High School and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree at Eastern Washington College in 1951. While at Eastern she met and married Robert Carlton. They married on December 16, 1950 in Cheney.

She is survived by her 4 sons and daughter in laws, Dave and Jane, Kevin and Denise, Scott and Kathy and Brad and Linda; 3 grandchildren, Jennifer, Adam and Brian and 6 great grandchildren Kylie, Liam, Sophie, Madeleine, Issabelle, and Lucy

Darlene and Robert traveled and worked all around Washington state until eventually settling in Ellensburg in 1970. Darlene was a longtime elementary school teacher who loved working with kids which she did long after her retirement in 1988, volunteering at the local schools.

Darlene was very active in retirement, volunteering for the Retired Teachers Association, Red Cross, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Ellensburg.

In 1995 Darlene created a mini-grant program to help active teachers in the community purchase school supplies. This program was later picked up by the Washington State School Retirees Association and is now one of their yearly commitments. Darlene was honored in 2003 with the “With Our Youth” award by the National Retired Teachers Association for creating this program.

She had many activities and hobbies enjoying gardening, knitting, sewing, quilting and was active at the Rosewood community center, hosting Retired Teachers meetings, playing cards and even learning how to make her own greeting cards

Donations to the mini-grant program in her memory can be made to Kittitas County School Retirees Association (KCSRA). Make checks out to, KCSRA and mail to, Remi Davis, 270 N Gail Rd, Ellensburg WA 98926.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Ellensburg. Online condolences may be left at www.johnston-williams.com