Obituary for Karla Ruth Paxton
On April 28, 1954, Dorothy Steers, a widowed mother of three gave birth to a baby girl in Deaconess Home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She named this baby Dianne. Six days later, she showed the unselfish love of a mother by giving her up for adoption.
On that day, Clois and Mattie Bea Knight’s dream came true as they were blessed by God with this beautiful baby girl. Her name was changed to Karla Ruth Knight and she began her life on the family farm two miles from Russell, Oklahoma.
Clois and Mattie’s life revolved around this special gift from God. Karla grew up playing with her cousins--Brenda, Wayne, Joe and Janet and a special friend David Meason. She enjoyed visiting her Granny Carpenter, who lived just across the road. Church was a central part of her life as she attended the First Baptist Church in Russell, Oklahoma. She was saved and baptized in that church at the age of six and served the Lord the rest of her life.
Karla attended school at Gould, Oklahoma. She loved that she was 100% country girl.
On Mother’s Day 1970, she attended Trinity Baptist Church with her longtime friend David Meason. On that day she saw her future husband for the first time as he sang a special Mother’s Day song. She thought he was cute and launched a plan with David to meet him. Her plan worked and they had their first date on July 4, 1970.
Karla and Casey were married by a funeral director on Friday 13th - August 13, 1971 and were married 48 years, 9 months and 2 days.
They were blessed with their first child, Tonya Jeanette, and then their family was complete with the birth of their son, Christopher Scott. Karla and Casey lived in Weatherford and Oklahoma City before moving to Fort Smith, Arkansas and Joplin, Missouri with Casey’s job. They moved to Mangum in 1973.
Karla loved working with children and was faithful teaching them in Sunday School, VBS and Brownie Scouts.
The family moved to Cheyenne, OK. In 1982. In January 1987, they purchased the Cheyenne Star newspaper. After their children graduated from school, they began to look at the possibility to move back to Mangum so they could take care of their parents.
They purchased the Mangum Star in July 1999 and served the community until they sold it in November 2019.
Because of her illness she was unable to continue working at the paper about six years ago, but continued to support the community. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Press Association Quarter Century Club and an Outstanding Woman of America.
Karla loved her family and enjoyed supporting Tonya and Scott through all of their school activities, spending hours following them wherever they went. Karla had a special calling in ministering to woman spending hours in study and teaching. She also loved teaching children in Sunday School and mentoring other teachers how to teach.
Her love for children was shown at Christmas 1999 when she began the Clothes for Needy Children. Over the past 20 plus years this organization has purchased new clothes for hundreds of children each Christmas.
When Casey became Pastor at the Mangum First Baptist Church, Karla was his full time partner in spite of the fact her disease began taking a heavier toll on her body. She loved sending cards and gifts to members. Most of all, she prayed for each one.
Karla’s favorite time of the year was Christmas as she celebrated the birth of her Savior. The house was completely decorated, and she began in July shopping on QVC trying to find the perfect gifts for her family.
After the meal and opening of presents she enjoyed bringing out the games as the house was filled with laughter. But, to her, the most important part of the day was the sharing of her faith in Jesus with her family.
She was blessed later in life to find her birth family. It took several years of searching but she finally found them on March 28, 2010. On April, 4, 2010, Easter Sunday and Casey’s birthday, she had the first meeting with 3 siblings and a sister-in-law. Later, in August, they had their first family reunion. She was so proud, after being reared as an only child to be able to call someone “my sister” or “my Brother”. The family welcomed her and was so gracious to share family memories with her as they made new memories.
It was 10 years ago when she diagnosed with the disease that would only grow worse. She knew there was no cure but fought daily and outlived the normal diagnosis by 5 years.
On May 15, 2020, she was healed of this terrible disease as Jesus breathed new life into her ravaged lungs. Today she is more alive than ever.
She is preceded by her parents: Clois and Mattie Knight, her biological mother: Dorothy Steers, two sisters: Sharon Steers Fatheree and Patricia Neuerberg, and one brother: Ronnie Steers.
She is survived by her husband, Casey, of the home; her dog Hershey; one daughter: Tonya Paxton, one son and his wife: Scott and Jennifer Paxton; six grandchildren: Coalton Paxton, Renee Paxton, Madyson Paxton, Bryce Paxton, Sidney Webb, and Sawyer Webb; three great-grandchildren:
Ariel Hope, Olivia Grace, and Creed Samuel; three sisters: Donna and Larry Kukuk, Barbara and Jim Wolfe, and Linda Fogle; one brother: Mike and Vanessa Neuerburg; one sister-in-law: Pam Steers Miller; three special cousins: Brenda Weyrick, Sylvia Roberts and Wayne Carpenter; one special friend: David Meason, ten nieces and nephews; 37 great-nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Clothes for Needy Children at the First National Bank, Mangum, Oklahoma, the Westview Boys Home, Hollis, Oklahoma, or Baptist Children's Home, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Paxton family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday May 20, 2020 at Greer Funeral Home. We can have fifteen guest at time in the funeral home, and ask that friends stay for less than fifteen minutes, and friends to wear masks.
Due to the current covid restrictions the family will be holding a private church service at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 22, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Mangum, Oklahoma.
Graveside services will be 3:00 p.m. Friday, May 22, 2020 at Roselawn Cemetery, Mangum, Oklahoma. The graveside service will be open to friends and family, we ask to maintain social distancing and to stay at least ten feet away from the tent.
Services have been entrusted to Greer Funeral Home, Mangum, Oklahoma.
To View webcasting of the funeral service please go to www.citylinktv.com and scroll down to Mangum, and click on services. The live stream will begin at 1:50 p.M.
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On that day, Clois and Mattie Bea Knight’s dream came true as they were blessed by God with this beautiful baby girl. Her name was changed to Karla Ruth Knight and she began her life on the family farm two miles from Russell, Oklahoma.
Clois and Mattie’s life revolved around this special gift from God. Karla grew up playing with her cousins--Brenda, Wayne, Joe and Janet and a special friend David Meason. She enjoyed visiting her Granny Carpenter, who lived just across the road. Church was a central part of her life as she attended the First Baptist Church in Russell, Oklahoma. She was saved and baptized in that church at the age of six and served the Lord the rest of her life.
Karla attended school at Gould, Oklahoma. She loved that she was 100% country girl.
On Mother’s Day 1970, she attended Trinity Baptist Church with her longtime friend David Meason. On that day she saw her future husband for the first time as he sang a special Mother’s Day song. She thought he was cute and launched a plan with David to meet him. Her plan worked and they had their first date on July 4, 1970.
Karla and Casey were married by a funeral director on Friday 13th - August 13, 1971 and were married 48 years, 9 months and 2 days.
They were blessed with their first child, Tonya Jeanette, and then their family was complete with the birth of their son, Christopher Scott. Karla and Casey lived in Weatherford and Oklahoma City before moving to Fort Smith, Arkansas and Joplin, Missouri with Casey’s job. They moved to Mangum in 1973.
Karla loved working with children and was faithful teaching them in Sunday School, VBS and Brownie Scouts.
The family moved to Cheyenne, OK. In 1982. In January 1987, they purchased the Cheyenne Star newspaper. After their children graduated from school, they began to look at the possibility to move back to Mangum so they could take care of their parents.
They purchased the Mangum Star in July 1999 and served the community until they sold it in November 2019.
Because of her illness she was unable to continue working at the paper about six years ago, but continued to support the community. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Press Association Quarter Century Club and an Outstanding Woman of America.
Karla loved her family and enjoyed supporting Tonya and Scott through all of their school activities, spending hours following them wherever they went. Karla had a special calling in ministering to woman spending hours in study and teaching. She also loved teaching children in Sunday School and mentoring other teachers how to teach.
Her love for children was shown at Christmas 1999 when she began the Clothes for Needy Children. Over the past 20 plus years this organization has purchased new clothes for hundreds of children each Christmas.
When Casey became Pastor at the Mangum First Baptist Church, Karla was his full time partner in spite of the fact her disease began taking a heavier toll on her body. She loved sending cards and gifts to members. Most of all, she prayed for each one.
Karla’s favorite time of the year was Christmas as she celebrated the birth of her Savior. The house was completely decorated, and she began in July shopping on QVC trying to find the perfect gifts for her family.
After the meal and opening of presents she enjoyed bringing out the games as the house was filled with laughter. But, to her, the most important part of the day was the sharing of her faith in Jesus with her family.
She was blessed later in life to find her birth family. It took several years of searching but she finally found them on March 28, 2010. On April, 4, 2010, Easter Sunday and Casey’s birthday, she had the first meeting with 3 siblings and a sister-in-law. Later, in August, they had their first family reunion. She was so proud, after being reared as an only child to be able to call someone “my sister” or “my Brother”. The family welcomed her and was so gracious to share family memories with her as they made new memories.
It was 10 years ago when she diagnosed with the disease that would only grow worse. She knew there was no cure but fought daily and outlived the normal diagnosis by 5 years.
On May 15, 2020, she was healed of this terrible disease as Jesus breathed new life into her ravaged lungs. Today she is more alive than ever.
She is preceded by her parents: Clois and Mattie Knight, her biological mother: Dorothy Steers, two sisters: Sharon Steers Fatheree and Patricia Neuerberg, and one brother: Ronnie Steers.
She is survived by her husband, Casey, of the home; her dog Hershey; one daughter: Tonya Paxton, one son and his wife: Scott and Jennifer Paxton; six grandchildren: Coalton Paxton, Renee Paxton, Madyson Paxton, Bryce Paxton, Sidney Webb, and Sawyer Webb; three great-grandchildren:
Ariel Hope, Olivia Grace, and Creed Samuel; three sisters: Donna and Larry Kukuk, Barbara and Jim Wolfe, and Linda Fogle; one brother: Mike and Vanessa Neuerburg; one sister-in-law: Pam Steers Miller; three special cousins: Brenda Weyrick, Sylvia Roberts and Wayne Carpenter; one special friend: David Meason, ten nieces and nephews; 37 great-nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Clothes for Needy Children at the First National Bank, Mangum, Oklahoma, the Westview Boys Home, Hollis, Oklahoma, or Baptist Children's Home, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Paxton family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday May 20, 2020 at Greer Funeral Home. We can have fifteen guest at time in the funeral home, and ask that friends stay for less than fifteen minutes, and friends to wear masks.
Due to the current covid restrictions the family will be holding a private church service at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 22, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Mangum, Oklahoma.
Graveside services will be 3:00 p.m. Friday, May 22, 2020 at Roselawn Cemetery, Mangum, Oklahoma. The graveside service will be open to friends and family, we ask to maintain social distancing and to stay at least ten feet away from the tent.
Services have been entrusted to Greer Funeral Home, Mangum, Oklahoma.
To View webcasting of the funeral service please go to www.citylinktv.com and scroll down to Mangum, and click on services. The live stream will begin at 1:50 p.M.
To send flowers in memory of Karla Ruth Paxton, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
Wednesday
20
May
6:00 PM
- 8:00 PM
Greer Funeral Home
235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, OK 73554
Funeral
Friday
22
May
2:00 PM
First Baptist Church
228 N. Oklahoma Ave
Mangum, OK 73554
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