Carl Clement Carlos

1939 - 2018

Carl Clement Carlos

- - Carl Clement Carlos (age 79) died early Saturday morning, December 22, 2018. Born on May 3, 1939, Carlos was a native and lifelong resident of Laurel, Mississippi and served as a key leader in the advancement of emergency preparedness across the state. A graduate of Laurel High School (class of 1958) who also attended Jones County Junior College, Mississippi State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi following his service in the United States Navy as one of the Navy's first "frogmen" of the Underwater Demolition Teams, he was one of Mississippi's pioneers of Civil Defense. In 1970, he was named the first Civil Defense director of Jones County, MS and served in that role for more than thirty years.

His leadership in Jones County served as a model for the entire state of Mississippi as well as being recognized across the nation for strategic innovations that were forerunners to the Emergency Operating Centers (EOC) currently in place in every county in the United States. Under his administration, the first outdoor warning siren test was developed across Jones County which has been credited to saving hundreds of lives and averting disasters from severe weather threats. He directed the establishment of National Emergency Warning System (NAWAS) at the Laurel Police Department. At a county level, this was one of the most advanced implementations of a system capable of communicating across various public agencies during an emergency or crisis in the nation. He worked for the improvement of an enhanced 911 system for emergencies and was nationally recognized for his response to the "Glade Tornado," a destructive storm that ripped through Jones County in February of 1987. A key aide to former Senator Trent Lott and Congressman Sonny Montgomery, he assisted them in the development and final organizational plan for the modern cabinet level department of the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

By the time of his retirement, he had worked with seven Governors, members of the Mississippi Legislature, the Congressional delegation of the state of Mississippi, county leaders across the nation, and the President of the United States. The Laurel Civil Defense moved into a new facility at 22 Mason Street in Laurel, MS on September 28, 2001. The building was later named in his honor as well as his late wife, Paula, who faithfully served with him during his long tenure.

He is survived by his wife Gloria Jean Carlos; four daughters: Cynthia Baker (Douglas) of Philadelphia, PA; Marie Jones (Bill) of Laurel, MS; Reneé Biglane (Tim) of Ellisville, MS; Carla Carlos of Leonardtown, MD; Two step-children: Derek Davis of Hattiesburg, MS and Kimberly Hagan (Jared) of Laurel, MS.

Carlos had fourteen grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and four step grandchildren. He is also survived by three sisters: Joan Beauchamp of New Orleans, LA; Ann Marie Smith (Ronnie) of Gadsden, AL; and Jeanne Simpson of Crossville, TN; as well as many beloved brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Paula Hill Carlos; his parents: Robert Louis Carlos, Sr. and Gladys Barbe' Carlos; and his brother, Robert Louis Carlos, Jr.

Visitation will be held at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, MS - 5:00PM - 8:00PM on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. A funeral mass will take place on Thursday, December 27, 2018 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Laurel, MS at 10:00AM with visitation from 9:00AM - 9:45AM. Burial will follow at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel, MS.

Pallbearers will be: Graham Davis, Ashton Walters, Sawyer Walters, Raymond Johnson, Jeremy Ray, and Robert Miller.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Asbury Hospice House in Hattiesburg, MS: P.O. Box 16389, Hattiesburg, MS 39402.