Carleton Hugh Faler

Carleton was born in Camas, WA to Kate Hudson Faler and Wilford Hall Faler. As a young man Carleton owned and operated a 320 acre ranch in Clark County, WA with grazing rights of 6600 acres of open range. He had a herd that at times reached 100 head of grade and registered Tennessee Walking Horses and even sold horses to the US Army. He also worked at Crown Zellerback Papermill as a paper tester.

Carleton joined the Merchant Marines and served in the Far East during WW II and Korean conflict 1944 – 1952 aboard numerous ships. He was awarded The Merchant Marine Combat Bar, Mediterranean Middle East War Zone Bar, Pacific War Zone Bar and The Korean Service Bar.

Carleton worked at the National Staff of the CIO and AFL-CIO and ran for the office of International General Vice-President of the United Papermakers and Paperworkers, AFL-CIO. He concurrently served as Director of Research, Education and Legislation.

While with the State Department Carleton worked with the Agency for International Development (AID) as the Far East Labor Advisor and Economist in Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and India. While in Saigon he was in the US Embassy when it was attacked by the Viet Cong with a car bomb March 30th 1965 where he suffered serious injuries that caused him pain the rest of his life.  

He then spent 4 years on Okinawa (with his family) where he was the Director of the Labor Department for the U.S. Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR). He also served as the Labor Advisor to the High Commissioner.

Returning to the states in 1969 he continued his work at the Labor Department in Washington, DC where he was the head of the Department of Labor’s International Technical Assistance Corps (DOLITAC), Coordinator of the Overseas Veteran Counseling Program (OVCP), Chief of the Division of Overseas Cooperation (DOC). The DOC was a part of the Office of Foreign Financed Programs (OFFP) where he was also the Director. While with the DOC Carleton drafted and negotiated an Agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for technical cooperation in manpower training and development that was signed in Riyadh and printed in both English and French. Carleton is also listed in the 1975 edition of Who’s Who in Government in the United States.

When Carleton retired from civil service in 1980 (as a result of the injuries received in the Saigon Embassy bombing) he and his wife June moved to Rocky Ridge, MD where he returned to his love of horses and began a Quarter Horse breeding operation, Saratoga Farms, with several stallions including AQHA Champion Eternal Pete. In Feb 1988 a former employee (currently serving a life sentence) took the life of his beloved June and shot Carleton. That summer the farm was relocated to Hagerstown, MD and continued to be a prominent breeder in the state expanding into Thoroughbreds with the acquisition of Santiago Red (a son from the last foal crop of the great Secretariat) who rounded out his breeding stallions. Whether looking for a prospect for racing, pleasure or show, or just stopping in to visit, Carleton loved to entertain family and friends alike sharing stories of his remarkable life with everyone that came by his home.  

Carleton leaves behind his current wife Johanna Baker Faler, son John Faler, daughters Laura Faler and Donna Miller, and numerous nieces and nephews.  Carleton is the last of his siblings, all who preceded him in death. Brothers W. Don Faler, Benjamin Faler, Fred Parker and sisters Judith Kate Faler (died as newborn) and Margaret Faler Beasley.

Carleton will be laid to rest at Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church in Emmitsburg, MD in a private family service. A celebration of Carleton’s life will be scheduled once it is safe to do so. Arrangements have been entrusted to Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home in Emmitsburg.