Funeral service for Barbara Jean (Harrell) Carothers Robertson was 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22, 2023 at Indiahoma United Methodist Church, Indiahoma, with Pastor Jim Roberts of Lawton, Oklahoma officiating.

Burial followed in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery just south of Indiahoma under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

Barbara Jean (Harrell) Carothers Robertson, 93, of Lawton, passed away on July 19, 2023. She was born March 28, 1930 in Indiahoma, to Tom and Ada (Sparks) Harrell. She married Hugh Franklin (Buddy) Carothers Jr. on July 28, 1950 in Indiahoma. He preceded her in death on July 15, 1999. She later married Jesse Robertson on Feb. 8, 2002 in Wichita Falls, Texas. He passed away March 19, 2014.

Barbara grew up in Indiahoma and was a graduate of Indiahoma High School where she was the class Valedictorian. Upon high school graduation, she attended Cameron Junior College where she was crowned Homecoming Queen. She then attended Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha. There she earned her bachelor’s degree. Barbara was an elementary school teacher at Emerson Elementary in Lawton, and then taught at Indiahoma Public Schools until her retirement. During her teaching career, she won several “Teacher of the Year” honors including runner-up for the 1974 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. While teaching, she earned her master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. Upon her retirement from Indiahoma Public Schools, Barbara supervised student teachers attending Cameron University. Barbara was beloved by countless students over the years, and she was very passionate about teaching reading, particularly to those who struggled. She was a reading specialist and very involved in the reading and study skills lab at Cameron University.

Following Buddy’s death and during her marriage to Jesse, Barbara and Jesse enjoyed retirement traveling with Barbara’s best friend and sister-in-law Shirley (Carothers) Wellhouse and husband Ken. She also enjoyed spending time at Lake Texoma fishing with Jesse, bird watching and observing nature, and spending time with her family.

Barbara was a life-long member of the Indiahoma United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir and relished the friendship of its members. Barbara looked forward to going to church on Sundays in Indiahoma, even when she lived in Lawton.

She is survived by her children: Robert Hugh Carothers, and special friend Lyn Johnson of Oklahoma City, and Ann Hawkins and husband Colin of Lawton; three step-daughters: Donna Caldwell, Carol Dean and husband James, and Janice Whitmire and husband Rick; one brother, Joe Harrell and wife Janie of Indiahoma; three grandchildren: Lisa Miller and husband Scott, Lawton, Sara Cunningham and husband Chris, Bixby, and Mary Beth Carothers, Moore; great-grandchildren: Cynthia Carothers, Brooke Anderson, Cassidy Cross, Cagan Cross, Natalie Riley, Elizabeth Anderson, and Scarlett Bowers, and a great great-grandchild Lucas Anderson; and several step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren and other nieces and nephews.

Also, very special to Barbara were her daily caregivers, Sammie Neugebauer, Debbie McDonald, and Molly Womack, and Germaine Bray.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, two siblings, Jimmy Harrell and Dolores Stoll, an infant sibling, and her great-granddaughter, Madison Riley.

Memorial contributions may be made to Indiahoma United Methodist Church or Indiahoma Public Schools.