J Anthon Carbine

J Anthon Carbine (Tony), 84, passed away on March 5, 2026 from cancer. Tony was born “at a very young age” on August 27, 1941 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Verona Richardson and Joseph Leroi Carbine. He was the fifth of seven children. He always spoke lovingly of his youth on the cotton and pecan farm, where he felt the love of his family and learned to be a hard worker. His mother passed away when Tony was 10 years old. His dad, older siblings, Aunt Jan, and kind ward couples raised him and his younger siblings to adulthood.

Tony graduated from New Mexico State University. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Florida Tallahassee Mission. He also joined the United States Army and eventually served as a Captain in Vietnam. Those were challenging days, but Tony showed his dedication to serving his country.

He convinced Karen Powell to marry him and they were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple on December 6, 1968. Tony and Karen lived in Georgia, Germany, Texas, Mesa, Arizona, Bountiful, Utah, and finally settled in Salt Lake City where they raised their family and lived for 50 years. For over fifty-seven years they have had a marriage filled with mutual love, respect, dedication, forgiveness, and support. They have been blessed with six children and 24 1/2 grandchildren.

Tony was tall and imposing, and pretended to be mean when he remembered. He was a teddy bear who feigned being a grizzly. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, and especially his monster hugs. Tony loved children–something his pretended gruffness couldn’t hide. His children knew he was good for a monster push on the swing, a ride on his shoulders, a treat at the grocery store, or a quiet time on his lap. He had a nickname and a song for each of them. He not only loved his kids he liked them, which they thought was significant.

Tony had a beautiful tenor voice, a good ear, an impressive 5 o’clock shadow, and a penchant for DIY prepper rocket stoves. He collected and memorized many humorous stories and performed them in outrageous accents. His dad jokes were epic, his Yankee ingenuity was impressive, and Magic Show on a budget, (or A Bunch of Cheap Tricks) was legendary. If anyone finds that Santa Claus has been shot with a pack saddle, we might know who did it as he threatened to do so every December. When he wasn’t promising inexplicable harm to Santa, he was dressing as the Jolly Elf and squeezing quarters to microscopic size (using sleight of hand) to show children how he fit all those presents onto “his” sleigh.

He spent his free time with his wife and kids and his hobbies included his family. He often invited some of the neighborhood kids to join his kids to go swimming at Northwest Multipurpose Center or skiing on free Snowbird and Alta ski days. He involved his kids in camping, gardening, painting, wood carving, leather working, ice fishing, and cleaning out the garage. But the thing he loved most was visiting family and friends. He would take the whole brood in whatever questionable conveyance they owned at the time and pick the most dubious route maps could promise. He showed his family many wonders in the southwestern United States. The destination was always friends or family, but the journey was half the fun. The occasional prat fall in the mud when they got stuck on a remote back road was the cream and the cherry.

Tony was grateful he could work hard and support his family. He began his career in communications, installing and servicing phone systems in businesses in Mesa, Arizona, and later transferring to Salt Lake City. He became a fixture in his community, and served in many church callings in the Rose Park 2nd Ward and Salt Lake Rose Park Stake, including as a Gospel Doctrine teacher to youth and adults, member of the stake’s 70’s quorum, counselor in the bishopric, a member of the High Council, temple veil worker, and missionary on Welfare Square helping people find jobs. Perhaps his most meaningful service was the genuine friendship that he showed to others. He could and did make anyone feel welcome, and he shared the love of his Savior, Jesus Christ. He hid his intelligence behind humility and humor. We all knew, though, that he was an encyclopedia, a lifelong learner, an artist, and a tease. He made friends at work who were impressed with his positive attitude and his dedication to do whatever needed to be done.

We are happy that he is free from illness, and is spiritually strong and sharp in understanding. He’s now in Paradise with his parents, Joe and Verona; brothers, Ivan (Helen), Dennis (VeLois); sisters Joan Eyre (John), Chadra Miller (Alan); Ellen Simper; and a grandson, Rhett. The party has officially been moved to the other side of the veil.

We mourn that Tony has left us for a time. We include his wife, Karen of Salt Lake City; sons Joseph, Jaim (Katrina), Jaren, and Jordan (Tasha); daughters Christine Garrison (Rainey), and Carrie Luker (Matthew); 23 grandchildren; his brother David (Rosanne), and brother-in-law, Dan Simper. Cousins and friends are members of Tony’s heavenly family and we recognize their loss too. We feel joy that Tony has been reunited with his parents and others who have gone before. We will miss him dearly until we too are reunited. We are grateful for his example to us of faithful service to family, country, God, and God’s children.

During the last 14 months of his life Tony was a well-cared for resident at Monument Health in Millcreek, Utah, by a caring and skilled staff, by Bristol Hospice, especially Jennifer and Loralie, the amazing staff at the VA hospital, and the home healthcare workers. His wife, Karen sat with him for hours nearly every day. We imagine Tony’s only regret is that he can’t repay her and show her equal devotion. Kids, grandkids, relatives, friends and ward members kept his room busy with well-wishers. His son, Jaim, visited nearly every evening to feed him dinner, for which we thank him and his wife and children for their sacrifice.

A visitation will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, Rose Park Stake Center, West Relief Society Room, 760 N 1200 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, on March 14, 2026, from 10:00 am to 10:45 am. A memorial service will be held in the West Chapel at 11:00 am.