Carlton D Moody

Carlton Dewitt Moody, beloved husband, father, Pampa, and friend, went home to be with the Lord on May 3, 2024, at the age of 89. Carl was born in Waynesboro, Mississippi, on August 6, 1934, to Mable Hope and Floyd Haynes Moody. After graduating from Columbia High School in 1953, Carl joined the United States Air Force on July 31, 1953, and was stationed in Korea where he worked on aircraft communications systems; thus, his love of radios began. He became an avid collector of antique radios over the years, which he loved to show off to any and everyone who visited his home.

Carl discovered a love of education, specifically mathematics and physics, and pursued a double major (Math and Physics) in both undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, graduating with honors in 1967. His passion for education continued with PhD coursework at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, and completion of his Doctor of Philosophy in Physics in 1976 from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. After completing his BS degree from USM, he accepted a position with the Department of Defense, Laser Laboratory, U.S. Army Missile Command (USAMC), Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL. As a senior physicist with the Army High Energy Laser (HEL) Team, he conducted research and development on laser devices and systems in support of the Army’s HEL Weapons missions. Guided by his passion for lasers in both military defense and medicine, Carl played a significant role in the development of anti-sensor laser weapons and the integration of lasers within the biological and medical communities. His ground-breaking work with Dr. John Peter Minton, Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, contributed to the development of the laser scalpel, laparoscopic laser procedures and the use of lasers in the treatment of cancer and pain management.

In 1984, Carl co-founded and operated the National Genesis Corporation of Dallas and developed the GENESIS-10, leading the pioneering phase of home satellite television transmissions. From 1995-1998, Carl co-founded Starfire Antenna Corporation, developing proprietary technology of new classes of high-gain small antennas for home satellite and wireless telephone applications. Beginning in 2007, he created Carl Moody Consulting and served as a reliability engineer consultant to multiple government-based contractors in Huntsville. He loved working, and his passion for quantum physics remained strong as evidenced by the lively dream about a quantum physics farm that he shared with his grandchildren via FaceTime a few days before he left this physical body and joined the Creator of quantum physics itself.

On August 22, 1959, he married his “dearest darling,” Helen Joyce Broome Moody, with whom he fell in love within a few weeks of meeting. Carl and Joyce were married for 64 years and were faithful and active members of Whitesburg Baptist Church for decades, serving as Deacon, Training Union co-teachers, and Bible class leaders. When Carl could no longer physically attend services, they would sit together on Sunday mornings listening to worship services, and Carl would often seek comfort on difficult days by listening to the old-time Gospel music which he loved.

As his grandsons began playing sports (baseball, football, basketball, and soccer) and his granddaughter competed in gymnastics and cheerleading, he rarely missed a game, event or competition, no matter how far the distance or long the event. The coaches and trainers knew him by name, as he would arrive before pre-game practice or warm-up to find his seat and settle in for the duration. He loved the teammates of his grandchildren, many of whom adopted him as their own “Pampa” before the season was over. When his beloved great-grandson was born, he was excited to return to the ball fields and courts to watch Cole play, and he managed to attend and enjoy many games in spite of physical challenges. He delighted in each and every occasion to spend time with his family, and was always up for homemade ice cream, Gatlinburg taffy, banana pudding, Christmas divinity, ballpark hot dogs, and barbecue. He also was a big Bama fan, tolerating his daughter and granddaughter’s wayward love of Auburn. He never met a stranger and looked forward to his weekly visits to Lowe’s in Hampton Cove, riding the electric mobility scooter and visiting the employees who had become friends.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Haynes Moody; his sisters, Margret Hope Royal, Mary Ellen King, and Nellie Floyd Barrineau; and his brothers, Charles Thompson Moody and Lawrence Edward Moody. Leaving to cherish and honor his memory are his wife, Helen Joyce Moody; his children, son Jeffrey Allen Moody and daughter-in-law Cecelia (Cece) Marie Moody, and daughter Tammy Michele Beasley and son-in-law Daniel Farris Beasley; granddaughter, Julia Joy Moody, and grandsons, Allen Jeffrey Moody, Adam Farris Beasley, and Luke Carlton Beasley; great-grandson, Lucas Cole Manley; nieces, nephews, and many friends.

There will be a funeral service at Willowbrook Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 1:00pm with visitation preceding at 12:00 noon. Carl will come home to Columbia where there will be a visitation at Colonial Funeral Home on Thursday, May 9, 2024 from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. There will be a graveside funeral service at 12:00 noon on Friday, May 10, 2024 in Improve Baptist Church Cemetery where he will be laid to rest.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to His Way Recovery Center at www.hiswayinc.org/donate. The family extends deep gratitude and love to Dr. J.D. Blankenship and the staff and the Amedisys Hospice team for their exceptional care throughout the past months and years.