Barbara Joann Carter

Barbara JoAnn (Jelinek) Carter passed away peacefully March 14, 2024, at the age of 91, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She was born February 25, 1933, in Morrison, Oklahoma to the parents of Louis Jelinek and Lola (Swearingen) Jelinek. She was the final of six redheaded children.

Barbara grew up on the family farm north of Morrison and lived most of her 91 years in this area. She graduated from Morrison in the Class of 1950 where she loved playing basketball more than reading any book at school. Shortly after graduating she moved to Ponca City where she worked for Continental (ConocoPhillips) in the tourism department until 1956.

Barbara loved music and dancing from a young age. She learned to play the piano and accordion by ear to the music on the family radio. She attended the community country dances as often as she could growing up. Some years later at one of those dances she met Jimmy Carter from Red Rock, who found a redhead he wanted to marry after he returned from the service. They were quite a dancing couple around this area, whether it was the jitterbug or a polka waltz, they truly loved dancing together.

They were married October 28, 1952, in Newkirk Oklahoma and lived in Ponca City where they both worked for Continental until they bought some land adjoining the Jelinek farm and moved back to Morrison in 1958. They worked together sharing all the farm chores. After Jim retired from Continental in 1983, they shared many special memories traveling in their motorhomes with family and friends taking trips camping, fishing, sightseeing, and attending music festivals. In April of 1999 Jim passed away, they enjoyed 47 years of marriage. She lived on the farm until June of 2022 when she moved to the Renaissance Senior Living Center in Stillwater.

She loved sports, she supported Morrison athletics for years but especially her granddaughter Rissa’s softball and basketball games. Some away games travel may have been a little risky a few times, but everyone returned safely home, and she never missed a game. She was a big OKC Thunder and St. Louis Cardinals fan, so much so that she loved calling her family and friends to give halftime and 7th inning updates.

Barbara enjoyed being outdoors; her love for gardening (growing tomatoes and sweet Vidalia onions in particular), fishing, cutting firewood, and sitting on her back porch was where one could find her most days. Her hands were always busy doing something, quilting in her younger years, crocheting, and later working jigsaw puzzles. She was quite a gal and will be greatly missed by many.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her siblings, Dick, Frank, Joe Jelinek, Betty Wallingford, Anna Mae Denney and infant son Charles Douglas Carter.

She is survived by her daughter Rhonda Inselman and husband Bob, her granddaughter Rissa Inselman and her nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A visitation will be held from 2- 8 p.m. Thursday March 21, 2024, at Dighton Marler Funeral Home Chapel in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 22, at Dighton-Marler Funeral Home in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Interment will follow at Morrison Cemetery, Morrison, Oklahoma.

Contributions in her honor may be made to American Legion Post 343 or Luminous Hospice, in care of Dighton Marler Funeral Home, 5106 N. Washington, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075.

Condolence may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.dightonmarler.com.