John Robert Carle

JOHN ROBERT CARLE was born October 18, 1929, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and died September 17, 2011, at his home in Claremore, Oklahoma. He was the son of Robert Lewis Carle and Mary Esther (Tennell) Carle.

He is survived by Shirley Knost Carle, his beloved wife of 57 years, and their four children: daughter Susan Young and husband Timothy Young, daughter Nancy Bizjack and husband Paul Bizjack, and daughter Carolyn Carle, all of Tulsa; and son John C. Carle and wife Cheryl, of Douglasville, GA. Also surviving are eight grandchildren: David Young, Joshua Young, and John Bizjack, of Tulsa; Brian Bizjack and wife Laura Proaño, of Phoenix, AZ; Eric Saulnier, of Los Angeles, CA; Laura Saulnier, of Fort Collins, CO; Nicholas Saulnier, of Boulder, CO; and Christopher Carle, of Douglasville, GA. He is also survived by his sister Nancy Bloomfield, of Tulsa, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Robert Carle, Jr. and Dr. Birdsall Carle, and his sister Mary Goodson. John has also left many good friends and associates who will remember his humor, kindness, and enjoyment of life with great love and affection, as will his family.

After graduating in 1947 from Tulsa Central High School, John served in both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army. He received a B.A. in history from the University of Tulsa in 1955 and graduated from TU Law School in 1957. He and his young family then moved to Claremore, where he practiced law for the next 54 years. He was last associated with law partners William R. Higgins and J. Justin Greer in the firm of Carle & Higgins.

John was involved in many civic activities over the years. He was on the board of the First National Bank of Claremore and was chairman of the Claremore Chamber of Commerce, which honored him as Citizen of the Year in 1990. As attorney for Claremore Industrial and Development Authority, he helped bring many industries and businesses to the Claremore area. He volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America and went on a trek at Philmont Camp in New Mexico with his son in 1986. Until recently he was on the Board of Directors of Light Opera Oklahoma (now LOOK Musical Theater). He enjoyed attending the symphony, opera, and ballet and was a supporter of the Claremore Symphony League. He earned a private pilots' license and loved flying his small plane. His most recent hobby was oil painting, which he studied and practiced at Ziegler's with a group of fellow artists who became his close friends.

A funeral service will be held 2 P.M., Saturday, September 24, 2011 at First United Methodist Church, Claremore. Burial with military honors by the VFW 5th District Rifle Squad will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Tulsa, under the direction of Musgrove-Merriott-Smith Funeral Service & Crematory. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Fri. 1-8 p.m., and family will greet friends 6-8 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Claremore Public School Foundation, LOOK Musical Theatre, Hospice of Green Country, or the Rogers County PAL Program.