Josephine ‘Jo’ Carnes

Josephine "Jo" Carnes, 67, peacefully left this earth March 25, 2013, after a year-long battle with cancer.
Jo was born Jan. 12, 1946, in Suva, Fiji, to John and Lilian Skeels Suckling. She spent her childhood in the Solomon Islands and later in West Australia, where she met her first husband, an American, Jim Nelson. They wed in Perth, West Australia, in 1964 and had their first child, Joseph, then relocated to the United States and resided in El Paso where their son Robert was born.
They later moved to Melbourne, Fla., where their daughter, Theresa, was born.
Jo proudly became a United States citizen in 1973. The family moved to Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, in 1981, where she was active with the Special Olympics and received her private pilot's license. She enjoyed flying family and friends around the islands. After moving back to the United States, she became involved in real estate in Florida and volunteered with the Red Cross. In 1987, she married Robert "Bob" Carnes and made her home in Alamogordo. She continued her involvement in real estate and eventually opened her own office, Total Solutions Realty. She was Realtor of the Year in 1996.
Jo was active in the community including volunteer work with Big Brothers and Sisters, CHINS, Pink Ladies Auxiliary with the hospital, PEO, American Cancer Society and the Republican party. She was an artistic lady and enjoyed sewing, painting and poetry. She and Bob enjoyed spending time in the mountains entertaining friends and family at their cabin getaway. Her French Bulldog "children" were never far from her side. She will be greatly missed by her many friends and family.
Survivors include her husband, Bob Carnes, of the family home; sons Joe Nelson and wife, Rhonda, of Palm Bay, Fla., and Rob Nelson and wife, Jerry, of Alamogordo; daughter Theresa Clements and husband, Jesse, of Blackshear, Ga.; grandchildren James Nelson and wife, Christin; Nicole Nelson, Cassandra Nelson, Kodi Clements and Tyler Clements; one great-granddaughter, Kyla Nelson and three brothers John Suckling and wife, Renata; Peter Suckling and Colleen and Tony Burns and wife, Jenny, all of Australia; and her first husband, Jim Nelson, and wife, Sandy, of Crestview, Fla.
She was preceded in death by her parents John Joseph "Jack" Suckling and Lilian Mary (Myna) Suckling.
The Mass will be conducted at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 10 a.m. Monday, April 1, 2013, with Father Mike Lindsay officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be the ladies of the PEO Sisterhood and the Pink Ladies auxiliary. A reception will follow at the home of Bob and Jo Carnes from 2-6 p.m. Everyone who shared in Jo's life is invited to stop by and join in remembrance of her talents and accomplishments.
The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2013, at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home with a eulogy by Rev. Billy Tucker at 6 p.m.
The Carnes family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home to direct the engagements. Cremation will take place at PCS.
To sign the online register book, please visit www.hamiltonodell.com.