Carlos Cecil Stapleton

Carlos Cecil Stapleton, loving husband of Carlotta for 38 years, father of Adam and Carly, grandfather of Emmalise, expectant grandfather of Lillian, and CEO of Georgia Highlands Medical Services passed away Oct. 9, 2011, following a year-long battle with mesothelioma. Carlos was 62 years old.
Carlos was born in Swainsboro July 25, 1949. The eldest son of six children, three boys and three girls, Carlos enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1969 where he completed a tour of duty in the Vietnam War, participating in one of the most important American events of the 20th century, the Apollo 11 moon landing retrieval.
It was while serving aboard the USS Arlington, backup communications ship to the USS Hornet, that he assisted in the recovery of returning Apollo 11 astronauts. When asked by President Richard Nixon, who was staying aboard the Arlington during the Apollo 11 retrieval mission, "How's the food here?," Carlos replied, "Terrible, sir."
Upon returning home in 1971, Carlos married the love of his life, Carlotta Sellari. After graduating from Georgia State with a degree in business administration with a minor in economics, Carlos began work serving the community as an administrative assistant at Southside Medical Services. He later moved to Savannah where he served as CFO of Westside Healthcare Services. He would later move again, closer to Atlanta, serving as CEO of Georgia Highlands Medical Services, where he continued his mission of providing healthcare to the indigent. As a faithful partner to his wife, Carlos saw it as his duty in life to raise his two children to be productive members of society, setting an example of honesty, bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity. He truly believed that he could make a lasting and positive impact on the world at large. After being diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2010, Carlos continued his mission of insuring that his children and grandchildren would carry on his example of bravery and self-sacrifice by valiantly fighting the withering effects of the disease. As he had prior to his diagnosis, Carlos continued to work to enrich the lives of his family and friends, spending much of his time with his granddaughter and preparing to meet his second granddaughter.
He is survived by his wife, two children, two grandchildren, mother, three sisters and one brother.
A memorial service will be held at Ingram Funeral Home Wednesday, Oct. 12, with full military honors. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7 p.m.
Ingram Funeral Home and Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.