Obituary for Carol Moyer

Carol Elizabeth Moyer

June 24, 1938 – March 28, 2024

Carol Elizabeth Moyer went home to be with The Lord on Thursday afternoon, March 28th, 2024. She was 85 years old.

As her life was marked with humility, hospitality and service, so fitting it was that she died on Maundy Thursday — the day during holy week when Jesus washed his disciples feet before He gave himself on the cross. There could not be a more perfect day.

Carol, or “Granny” as she was most dearly called, lived a life in service to others. She loved music and reading and swimming and being in nature. She would have given her left pinky toe if JUST ONE of her grandchildren could have played that piano in her foyer, or could sing a single note in tune. She, however, sang proudly off-key, collected more books than she could ever read and spent her days finding ways to make the people around her feel loved.

Born on June 24, 1938 to Charles and Lela Pickett; Carol was the youngest of four children. She spent her childhood in Blackwell with sisters Suzanne and Shirley and brother, Charles, before she met and married Bob Moyer in 1955. Together, Bob and Carol made a home in Blackwell where they raised their 4 children; Kim, Kirk, Tammy, and Brenda.

Once her children were raised, Carol went back to school. She graduated from NOC in 1971 with an Associates degree and went on to Northwestern OKState University for her bachelor’s degree in 1980, and finally to OSU where she received her Masters in 1986, and continued to be LOYAL and TRUE to the end. Her passion for working with children spilled over into her career as an educator. She was the secretary at Blackwell High School for 6 years before teaching first grade at Parkside Elementary and eventually an English teacher and librarian at Blackwell Middle School and finally Braman and Peckham schools.

She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, Top of Oklahoma Historical Society, a Blackwell Hospital Volunteer, Kay County Council Advisor, Retired Senior Volunteer, and a volunteer at the Good Buy Shoppe for many, many years.

She and Bob, together, were actively involved in serving the Blackwell area community and church youth. They were instrumental in forming the Opportunity Center in Ponca City to provide care and education for children and adults with developmental disabilities, which was a passion project for them. Later, they helped establish and run The Good Buy Shoppe in downtown Blackwell as a way to fund and support the Opportunity Center.

To list the number of ways she impacted this community and this family would take days.

Carol was preceded in death by her husband, Bob and son, Kirk, both her parents, and all of her siblings.

She is survived by her children; Kim and Les Courtney, Tammy and Mark Leen, and Brenda Russell; her grandchildren; Justin and Kelli Courtney, Brian and Meg Courtney, Tanae and Brad Coleman, Andrea and Bryan Davidson, Tara and Brett Fry, Jordan and Paige Leen, Sage and Abby Russell, Breann and Chandler Rubin, and Micah and Joseph Morales, as well as 20 great grandchildren; Jack, Grant, and Nash Courtney, Carly, Anna Claire, and Bowman Courtney, Braylin, Brooks, and Brynn Coleman, Caroline Davidson, Sully, Wells, Cooper, and Rosie Bea Fry, Eli, Judah, James, and John Leen, and Hudson and Paxton Rubin.

In addition, she is survived by her sister-in-law Mona Moyer, and brothers-in-law Jack Fry and Roger Camp, all of whom she loved dearly.

We will miss her bright smile and joyful spirit. We will miss her warm hugs and hearty laughter. We will miss her commentary about everything that is “cute as a bugs ear” and even her stubborn insistence that she knew the rules to Blackwell spades. She was always as “busy as a cranberry merchant” and could hear the slightest whisper from 3 rooms away. She loved the beach and could float in the water for hours on end. She was always up for an adventure and made even the most tedious jobs more fun. It’s impossible to sum up in words what an impact one person can have on the generations that follow, but we will continue to see her in the bright eyes of her beloved grandchildren and with every butter dish we find in the fridge.

She leaves a legacy of love, joy, humility, and service and Law Pete, is she loved.

I’ll see ya.