Jerry Donald Carlon

Jerry Donald Carlon, age 85, of Morrilton, (August 9, 1938 - October 13, 2023) was born in Woodland, California, the son of Thomas Olen “Cos” Carlon and Walsie Lee (Beeson) Carlon. When Jerry was 3, the family moved back home to Hattieville, Arkansas, where Jerry and his brothers were raised. Jerry loved growing up at Hattieville and the people that lived there. Jerry was always a hard worker who firmly believed in providing a good day’s work for a day’s pay. During summer vacations from high school, he traveled to Leoti, Kansas to work the wheat harvest. His strong work ethic and outgoing personality made him a valued worker. He graduated from Wonderview High School in 1956 and joined the United States Army the following year - spending three years in our country’s service, mostly stationed in Germany. He would later recall how good the Statue of Liberty looked when he was sailing into New York Harbor on his return home. Along with his brother John, he hauled hay in the summers for extra money. He was often seen lifting two square bales at a time, then swinging first one and then the other onto the waiting truck. Clifford Clark once said “No one could throw those hay bales or haul hay like Jerry and John Carlon.” Jerry co-owned a Skelly gas station, worked on a crew installing natural gas pipelines in Arkansas, worked on a road crew, and held several other jobs before settling into the lifelong career he so loved. Jerry became a truck driver - spending 44 years in that profession and driving trucks through all of the 48 contiguous U.S. states and parts of Canada and Mexico. A lifelong learner, Jerry’s work travels made him a resource to anyone planning a road trip to anywhere in the U.S. He could not only tell you the best routes to take, naming highways and cities along the way from memory - but could also tell you the best places of interest to see along the way. He was proud of his career as a truck driver and enjoyed his work immensely. Jerry was a gifted storyteller. Sitting and listening to him talk would always bring smiles and laughter, as he recounted stories and situations from his life with a wonderful style that always captivated his audiences….stories of growing up in Hattieville, working the wheat harvest, driving trucks…and having fun. One night, he stopped at a truck stop for supper about midnight after a long day of driving. Hungry and tired, he ordered a bowl of chili and some crackers. The waitress brought the bowl of chili and one package of crackers. He asked for some more crackers and she brought one more package. He slapped a $5 dollar bill down on the table and said I want $5 dollars of crackers. When he got ready to leave the manager said Sir, you don’t have to pay for the crackers. Once, while waiting for his truck to be unloaded in the middle of the night in downtown Jackson Mississippi, Jerry decided to crawl into the sleeper and get a little rest. The truck was running and while he slept something suddenly hit him in the head - hard! He thought he was being hijacked and jumped up to fend off his attacker - only to find that the stereo on the shelf above his head had fallen off - nearly knocking him out for a few minutes! Stories like these and many others beautifully came to life when Jerry told them - and his listeners didn’t mind hearing them over and over again. In addition to being hardworking, Jerry was a loyal, caring man - always concerned about others. He lived life his own way and tried hard to take care of the people he loved. He loved home, and family, friends, and history, and cowboy westerns. He loved his dog, Penny and the cats, Baxter and Emily. Jerry is survived by Gayle, his wife of 34 years, son Kevin, brothers Tommy (Cheryl) and Vann, several nieces, nephews, and cousins and a host of family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, John. Services for Jerry will be held on Wednesday, October 18 with visitation at 1:00 p.m. and service at 2:00 p.m. at Harris Funeral Home in Morrilton, with the Reverand Josh Edwards officiating. A private burial will take place at a later date.