Obituary for Thelma “Nita” Carroll

Nita Carroll

June 16, 1938 – September 17, 2018

Thelma Juanita “Nita” Carroll of Blackwell, Oklahoma, passed away Monday morning, September 17, 2018, at her home at the age of 80 years.

Thelma Juanita “Nita” Carroll was born on June 16, 1938, in Ponca City, Oklahoma, to Lloyd Chan and Ethel Evelyn (Cornett) Magers. At the age of five she moved with her family to Blackwell where she grew up and attended Blackwell Public Schools graduating from Blackwell High School in 1956. She married Philip Richard Carroll on April 2, 1956, in Blackwell and they made Blackwell their home. She later furthered her education attending Northern Oklahoma Junior College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva where she received her bachelor’s degree in education. She later earned a master’s degree in curriculum from Oklahoma State University. She taught middle school math and science in the Blackwell Public Schools from 1972 until her retirement in 1996. She also operated the Blackwell Youth Center from 1967 until 2007 serving hundreds of children in Blackwell. Her husband preceded her in death on December 14, 1995, and she continued to make Blackwell her home. She was a member of the First Christian Church and taught Sunday School for fifty-one years. She also served on the Blackwell City Council for several years and helped raise money for the new city animal shelter. She loved to volunteer and spent many hours at the Goodbye Shoppe and the Blackwell Chamber of Commerce. She was recognized by the Blackwell Chamber as “Citizen of the Year,” an honor she was very proud of. During her early years she also served as a cub scout den mother and camp fire leader. She enjoyed traveling, but her passion was her family, extended family and the many children of Blackwell.

She is survived by three daughters, Cindy Carroll of Blackwell, Terri Guthrie and husband Wes of Ponca City, and Susan Collier of Hackett, Arkansas; two brothers, Don Wolf and wife Martha of Albany, Georgia, and Jerry Magers and wife Bonnie of Blackwell; a sister, Linda Fisher of Ponca City; seven grandchildren, Jennifer Woolley, Dustin Brown, Jason Collier, Cody Collier, Chase Collier, Mindi Foote and James Carroll; and fifteen great grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; and a son-in-law, Tony Collier.

Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 20th in the First Christian Church in Blackwell with Rev. Jeff Koch officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery.

Serving as casketbearers will be Brad Bechtel, Mark Cordell, Mark Skiles, Greg Sixkiller and Fred LeValley.

Memorials have been established in her honor with First Christian Church, Blackwell Youth Center, the Goodbye Shoppe and Blackwell Animal Shelter in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.