Joan Carolyn Fugett

Joan "Carolyn" Fugett, age 91 of Bartlesville, died late in the evening on May 20, 2024. Carolyn was the youngest child of Claud and Ola (Ray) Smith, born on October 10, 1932 in Charleston, Arkansas. Carolyn attended school at Lone Oak and Muldrow, Oklahoma and graduated from Fort Smith High School in 1951. Carolyn married her high school sweetheart, Charles Wesley Fugett, on September 3, 1951 on his first leave from boot camp after he enlisted in the United States Navy during the Korean war. They made their first home in San Jose, California where Wes was stationed at Moffett Field. When he was deployed to Guam, Carolyn returned home to Muldrow and continued her work as a telephone operator in Fort Smith. Upon his discharge from the Navy, they moved to Tahlequah, Oklahoma where Wes attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University. It was here that their two oldest sons, Mark and Mike, were born. Michelle and Mitchell were added to the family following their move to Bartlesville, Oklahoma where Wes started teaching at College High and later Sooner High School. Carolyn worked along with Wes as he opened his State Farm Insurance office, before turning her full attention to raising their family in Bartlesville. Carolyn was a devoted mother, attentive to her children's and grandchildren's interests and needs. She was a Cub Scout leader, adoring fan at their baseball and football games, and mom taxi, taking them to the Sunset Country Club pool every day during the summer, even though she herself didn't swim, and anywhere else they wanted to go. She was always game for an adventure. Carolyn and Wes were early members of East Cross United Methodist Church where they were members of the Upper Room Sunday School class and Wednesday night bible study. Carolyn volunteered in many capacities at the church: leading a women's bible study and visiting home bound church members every Wednesday, helping with children's Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, crafting and making pies for annual church events and helping out anywhere else there was a need. She made many, many close, lifelong friends through the church. Carolyn was a very talented textile artist and craftsperson. She sewed clothes for her children, grandchildren and even for pay during her early years in Bartlesville. She crocheted afghans of yarn and tablecloths and other items from fine thread. She was very handy and could almost always fix anything that needed to be fixed; she was very skilled in applying wallpaper. Carolyn and Wes were married 59 years until his death in 2010. Throughout her life, Carolyn's faith and spiritual strength sustained her. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends. Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband Wes; her brother Ray Smith; sisters Genelle McNeill and Furn Overfelt. She is survived by: children Mark (Becky) Fugett of Bixby, Michael (Gretchen) Fugett of Collinsville, Michelle (Michael) Malaby of Round Rock, Texas, and Mitchell of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; grandchildren Wes (Dixie) Malaby, Melanie (Josh) McKinney, Tom Fugett, Blake (Lindsey) Fugett, Andrew (Naghmeh) Fugett, Garrett (Schuyler) Fugett, and Claire (David Vreeland) Malaby and seven great-grandchildren. The family is grateful to the staff of Green Country Village, Traditions Hospice and The Journey Home for their love, support, and compassionate care of Carolyn during the past four and a half years. In lieu of flowers, the family would suggest donations be made to The Journey Home in Dewey, Oklahoma.

Joan Carolyn Fugett

October 10, 1932 - May 20, 2024