11/10/2025
April Joy Carlton
SIMPLY THE BEST, April Joy Carlton, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, mentor, and pioneering real estate professional, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2025, surrounded by her family and love, after a courageous three-and-a-half-year battle with AML leukemia.
Born on March 23, 1948, in a small farming town in Iowa, April grew up with Midwest values, hard work, honesty, and resilience that shaped every aspect of her life. While attending school, she worked as a switchboard operator, manually connecting telephone lines with plugs. Even in those early years, she displayed the focus, dedication, and ability to connect with people that would later define her life and career.
April began her journey in real estate in the early 1970s while working as a bookkeeper for Pinecrest Homes. Her passion for the industry quickly grew, and in 1974 she earned her real estate license. In her very first year, she was honored as “Rookie of the Year” for the entire Colorado RE/MAX organization, a reflection of her remarkable drive and commitment to excellence. She continued her professional development by earning her GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute) designation and becoming a Certified Residential Specialist, always striving to better serve her clients and community.
It was during her years with RE/MAX that April met fellow broker Stan Carlton. A shared dedication to integrity, service, and hard work brought them together both professionally and personally. They married and soon became one of Denver’s first husband-and-wife real estate teams, earning admiration across the industry for their strong partnership and genuine care for people.
In 1983, April and Stan founded The Carlton Company, a family-owned boutique real estate firm built on trust, expertise, and relationships. Under their leadership, the company became a respected name in Colorado real estate. April mentored and guided countless agents throughout her career, generously sharing her knowledge and encouraging others to succeed. Many of today’s accomplished real estate professionals credit April as a key influence in their careers.
Real estate was more than a profession, for April it was a family legacy. Her father had been a respected broker in Mason City, Iowa, and that entrepreneurial spirit continued when her son, Eric Carlton, joined The Carlton Company in 1985. Working together as a three-generation real estate family brought April immense pride and joy.
Outside of her professional life, April embraced life’s simple joys and treasured time with those she loved. She especially cherished spending time with her husband, Stan, her best friend and partner in both life and business for nearly five decades. Whether they were working side by side, enjoying quiet mornings, or their favorite pastime of enjoying dinner and heartfelt conversation together at one of the many fine restaurants in Denver and surrounding areas, their bond was one of deep devotion and unshakable love.
She found peace in gardening and spent countless happy hours tending to her yard and caring for her koi pond, where she lovingly referred to her fish as her “little monkeys.” She enjoyed dining at fine restaurants and sharing memorable meals with family and friends. She also loved working on puzzles, finding quiet satisfaction and calm in bringing each piece together. Her greatest joy, however, was her family, especially her grandson, Brennar, with whom she shared art museum visits, conversations, and special lunches that created memories both would treasure forever.
April will be remembered for her grace, quiet strength, and unwavering devotion to those she loved. She led by example with integrity, compassion, and purpose and her legacy of kindness and excellence will continue to live on in the many lives she touched.
She is survived by her devoted husband Stan, her son Eric and daughter-in-law Shannon, and her cherished grandson Brennar Carlton. She is also survived by her loving siblings Connie Picken, Ginger (Bill) Brillhart, Elmer (Bonnie) Harden, and Echo (Michael Fiala) Ruiz; her brothers-in-law Clay Carlton and Jimmy (Janice Cetera) Carlton; along with many nieces, nephews, colleagues, and lifelong friends who will carry her memory in their hearts.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer Lee Harden and Wanda Alice Harden; her brother-in-law Arlyn Picken; and her brother-in-law Tom Ruiz.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in April’s honor to a charity of your choice or an organization that serves others in the community reflecting her lifelong spirit of generosity and care.
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