Carol Lee Schweitzer

Carol Lee Schweitzer, age 89, entered eternal rest on Monday, September 2,2024 in El Reno, OK with her beloved children at her bedside. She was born in Guthrie, OK on December 21,1934 to Randolph and Gladys Kastner.

She moved to Yukon when she was in elementary school. Her parents owned the Gibble Gas Station on Highway 66 just west of Yukon.  She grew up with her brother Earl Kastner and sister Dorcas Roberts. She graduated from Yukon High School in 1953.  She loved playing the flute in the Yukon Miller Band.

She met her husband, Loyd Eugene Schweitzer, on a blind date.  They were married on August 24, 1955. They were married 63 1⁄2 years before Loyd passed away in 2019. They raised three children together, Doug, Debbie and Diana.

Carol was a homemaker when her children were young and became a teacher assistant at St. John Nepomuk Catholic School for the 1st and 2nd grade classes for Sister Marie Therese.  Sister Marie Therese encouraged Carol to return to college to become a teacher.  With the support of her husband and family, Carol returned to college at the age of 36 and graduated from Central State University, (UCO) in Edmond with a degree in Special Education at the age of 40.  This was followed by a master's degree in Reading.  She taught elementary age Special Education for 22 years in the Putnam City School District. Carol had a lot of patience with her students and loved to teach them to read. Later in life, if she ran into one of her students at the store, they always thanked her for being an outstanding teacher and an inspiring force in their lives.   She retired from teaching in 1996.

After retirement, Carol dedicated herself to her family and volunteer service to St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church and the Yukon community.

Carol was an active member of St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church in Yukon since 1960.  She was devoted to her Catholic faith and always said how much she loved her church. She coordinated and served hundreds of funeral dinners over 17 years, reluctantly giving up this job in 2018 when she became ill.  She and her friends from church began a ladies rosary group in the 1960's. This group of ladies began praying the rosary together when their children were small and continued for over 60 years.  This rosary group continues today with new and old members. She volunteered at SJN in many ways – working in the office, served as President of Altar Society and sacristan for daily mass.  In 1999, she was recognized with the St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church Altar Society Woman Achievement Award for her service to the parish.

Carol was very active in the Yukon community and had a heart for persons with disabilities after her beloved niece was diagnosed with MS.  In 1996, she recruited 2 of her dear friends, Alberta French and Anton Yanda to begin fundraising for the Yukon Care-A-Van that still provides accessible transportation for persons with disabilities in Yukon through the Compassionate Hands organization.

She volunteered hundreds of hours to the YES for Disabled support group and Freedom Trail Playground Project in Yukon. Both initiatives were to provide emotional support, friendship, and recreation to persons with disabilities. She was an active member of Toastmasters, delivered mobile meals and a member of the Compassionate Hands board.

Carol loved to spend time with her family, especially her grandchildren.  She loved to sew beautiful dresses, doll clothes and toys for her grandchildren.  She enjoyed attending her grandchildren and great grandchildren's activities.  She loved to have family gatherings at her home. Every Christmas Eve, the grandchildren (and later great grandchildren) had to stand in front of the Christmas tree and sing Christmas carols before they could open their presents.  She sewed costumes for her grandchildren and other family members to gather as a live manger scene in her home.  The youngest member of the family would be baby Jesus.

Carol has been a loyal friend to many. She still has friends from her Yukon high school class of 1953, the St. John's Rosary group that began in 1960 and teachers she taught with at Putnam City Schools.

Carol's favorite foods were "hot" waffles, which her son Doug would make for her any time she wanted them. She also loved ice cream from Chick-fil-A or butter pecan ice cream from Braum's.

Carol loved to take pictures of her grandchildren and her great grandchildren. She enjoyed making scrapbooks for her family.  She would cook for days in preparation for holiday meals at her home.  Her family especially loved her Thanksgiving stuffing, chocolate cream pies, Boston cream pies, and German chocolate cakes. She made Easter baskets for her grandchildren and great grandchildren until they graduated from high school. They missed the baskets after graduating!

Carol was a strong, kind, humble, generous, giving and thoughtful person. She will be deeply missed by her family and many friends.

In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her husband, Loyd Schweitzer, her son-in-law, Mark Stover, her brother Earl Kastner and sister Dorcas Roberts.

Her survivors include her son, Doug and wife Robin Schweitzer, Yukon, daughter Debbie Stover, Yukon and daughter Diana Schweitzer-Hale, Yukon; nine grandchildren, Ryan and wife Rebekah Schweitzer, Dustin Stover and wife Tess, Tanya Gutierrez and husband Chris, Renee Kerby and husband Kasey, Jesse Paxton and wife Rachel, Matthew Stover, Jordan Stover, Emily Hale and wife McKenzie, and Dylan Stover. Also surviving are 13 great- grandchildren, Emma, Ethan, Isaac, Ella, Abigail and Josie Schweitzer, Devin and Jaxon Stover, Koleman and McGuire Kerby, Elliana (Ellie) Gutierrez, Madeleine and Peter Paxton.

Wake services will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, September 16, 2024, with Mass of Christian Burial at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 17. Both services will be held at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church, Yukon, OK. Interment will follow the Mass at the Yukon Cemetery, Yukon, OK.

The family would like to thank the staff of St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center and Russell Murray Hospice for the outstanding, compassionate, Christian care they provided to Carol during the final years of her life.  A special thanks to Sarah Menz APRN – CNP for providing loving, compassionate care and for making house calls and ministering to Carol and her family in the final weeks of her life.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations to St. John Nepomuk Catholic School, P.O. Box 850249, Yukon, OK 73085.