Nadine Carpenter

Nadine Carpenter, 82, of Wister, OK passed away Thursday, August 27, 2015 in Wister.  Nadine was born August 10, 1933 in Hughes, OK to Emmett  & Lula May (Harris) Warren.  She was the youngest of six children.  She graduated from Hughes Elementary School & Fanshawe High School in 1950.  Nadine was a starter on the 1950 Fanshawe Lady Grizzlies basketball team that was LeFlore County Champions.  She attended Eastern Oklahoma State College, Wilburton & completed her Bachelor's Degree in 1953 in Secondary Business Education at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.  Nadine later received her Master's Degree in Secondary Ed from Southeastern as well.  She taught one year at Addington HS and then in 1954 she began a 44 year career at LeFlore HS.  In 1955 she began coaching the LeFlore HS girls basketball team and would do so for the next 43 seasons.  Her HS teams averaged over 19 wins per season for 43 seasons.  When she retired, her teams had won 831 games.  She was the second highest winning girls coach in Oklahoma and one of the  most winning coaches in the United States.  She also enjoyed great success as the HS girls softball coach.  She gave the credit for her success to the hundreds of young ladies who played their hearts out for her and LeFlore High School.  Mrs. Carpenter, a member of the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame, was awarded a National Girls Coach of the Year Award in 1976.  Her softball & basketball teams won numerous LeFlore County Championships & both made several Oklahoma State Tournament appearances playing in State Championship games in both sports.  Her 7th & 8th grade girls teams once won 103 games over a 4 year period. 

On February 11, 1955, Nadine married Frank L. Carpenter, and they remained together for the next 60 years.  Nadine loved her family.  She was a wonderful mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, aunt, and more.  Her greatest job was as Memaw to her grandkids.  She was a rock for her family in every way.  She was a Christian who trusted the Lord throughout her life and was a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Wister, OK.   Finally, she was always a farm girl at heart.  She and Frank had put together a ranch that she enjoyed and of which she was proud.  She had saved countless baby calves by nursing them  to health when their outlook was bleak.  Nadine worked very hard and would not have had it any other way.    She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Jessie Thomas; brother, Johnny Warren.

Survivors include her husband, Frank of the home; daughter, Teresa DuPree & husband Ronnie of Clinton, OK; son, Jerry Carpenter & wife Brenda of Wister, OK; 10 Grandchildren, Walker Dupree of Weatherford, OK, Warren Dupree & wife Jenna of Porter, OK, Melanie Ward & husband Dallas of Wister, OK, Kylee Carpenter of Poteau, OK, Lane Carpenter of Wister, OK, Kimberlyn Carpenter & Jerret Carpenter of Wister, OK, Hunter Prock of Seattle, WA, Bailey Adams & Cole Adams of Wister, OK; great grandchildren, Rylan Tobey of Poteau, OK Tristian Dupree of Weatherford, OK, Farrah Dupree of Porter, OK, Jerra, Bryar & Bronc Ward of Wister, OK;      3 sisters, Betty Jo McAlester of  LeFlore, OK, Mary Ross of  Fanshawe (Hughes), OK, Lola Davidson of Stanton, OR; other relatives, loved ones and friends.

Services will be 2 pm, Monday, August 31, 2015 at LeFlore High School Gym, LeFlore, OK  with Revs. Clyde Steelman, Bryan Fields & Jim Cook officiating.  Interment will follow in Ellis Chapel Cemetery, Wister, OK.

The family will be at the funeral home on Saturday evening from 6-8 pm to visit with relatives & friends.