Carlton Alexander Barnswell

Carlton Alexander Barnswell, also known as "Coach", passed away at home, on February 19, 2024 at age 84.

A memorial mass will be held 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 22 at St. Gerard Majella Roman Catholic Church in Paterson, NJ. A private family inurnment service will follow at Holy Sepulchre Mausoleum.

Carlton was born July 24, 1939, on the island of Jamaica to Balfour Barnswell and Gladys May Dawson. Gladys doted over her only child, teaching him to swim and gifting him his first cricket bat as a teen. His mother departed for England in 1954, leaving Carlton in the care of his grandmother, Eliza Lowe Dawson. After his mother's untimely passing in London one year later, that cricket bat became the pride and joy of grief-stricken Carlton. The bat led to a lifetime love of cricket and later, tennis. As a young man, he played cricket at the prestigious Kensington Cricket Club, where he rubbed shoulders with future West Indian cricket team players and often said,"I could have been a contender." While working as a customs broker in his early twenties and watching cargo ships come and go, Carlton dreamt of a future in other places. His dream came to fruition when he left Jamaica for America to attend the 1964 New York World's Fair, wearing the blue suede shoes his best uncle Eric had sent him from London.

Carlton arrived in New York City, wide eyed and curious. Like his mother before him, he pursued a better life abroad. In 1960's New York City, there were limited opportunities for men of color. Undeterred, he attended Medgar Evers College while working multiple jobs. He worked as an engraver in the diamond district, as a data collector for National Opinion Research Center (NORC), and as a yellow taxi driver after getting his Hack license. His many hustles also included starting a multi-level marketing business called "Bestline" with his wife Joyce. Carlton's perseverance allowed him to return to Jamaica to get his three children, Angela, Carlton (Junior) and Alexia. The family moved to the Upper East Side in the 70's, where Carlton introduced his children to tennis, baseball at Yankee Stadium, track and swimming at the recreation center, pizza, and food from Chinatown. Carlton enjoyed the city and demonstrated to his children how to balance hard work and play. He joined other West Indians at the Brooklyn Cricket Club, where he became a century man. Despite his many accomplishments, the dream of a college degree eluded him, until he earned a B.S. from Mount Mercy College in Iowa in 1980.

Carlton returned to the east coast in the late 80's and settled in Paterson, New Jersey. In Paterson he taught at Eastside High School and also coached the tennis teams. He was strategic and innovative with his players, helping them get scholarships at tennis clubs in neighboring communities so they could hone their skills. Eastside boys' tennis players, under the tutelage of Coach, became a winning team, and Coach was named coach of the year in Passaic County. Not one to rest on his laurels, Coach was offered a job with the Paterson Community Tennis program, and initiated annual trips for community children to US Open Kids' Day. Coach Barnswell used tennis to change the lives of many of his high school athletes, some of whom are now coaches working at the same clubs where they sharpened their skills. Carlton found a home in Paterson and changed many lives before retiring from teaching and tennis in 2012 to a quiet life of gardening filled with the syncopation of jazz music.

Carlton's marriage ended in divorce. He is survived by his three children: Alexia Barnswell-Buford of New York, Angela (Kenny) Barnswell-Sulaimon of Texas, and Carlton B. (Colleen) Barnswell of Connecticut; twelve grandchildren, Jessica, David, LaToya, Brittny, Shannon, Jordan, Reina, Evan, Rasheed, Jayson, Zoe, and Raven; four great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Aaliyah, Wes, and Jia; cousins, Leroy, Jennifer, Deborah, Julia, and Juliet of London, England; nieces and nephews of Brooklyn, NY; former students from Paterson Eastside High School, the Paterson recreation tennis program, and many friends and neighbors from his Paterson community, who will greatly miss his big jovial smile.

The family would like to thank Dr. Allarice Linaac, MD; Dr. Burton Schlecker, MD; Dr. Elan Diamond, MD; and Hospice of NJ for their exceptional care and dedication to our father's well-being.