Carl Provence

Carl N. Provence, 90, died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday December 1, 2024. He was born Sep. 11, 1934, in Beggs, OK, and attended school in Okmulgee, OK, graduating in the class of 1952. 

A graveside service will be held Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 11 a.m. Sunset Memorial Garden Cemetery in Stillwater. December 7 was always a meaningful day to him because he was seven years old on D-Day. 

After high school, Carl came to Oklahoma A & M and earned a degree in engineering, but he mostly enjoyed the social aspects: sports and music and meeting his wife, Grace. They were married for 68 years. He was a Kappa Sigma and he played every year in the Varsity Review shows on campus. As a senior in college, he obtained his Air Force Commission through the ROTC and earned his private pilot license then as well.

Daddy Bear, as he was affectionately called, loved to play sports, play music, and play bridge. He excelled in basketball, as a softball pitcher and a racquetball player. 

He and Grace married in 1956 and then he served overseas in the Air Force, stationed in France, where in 1960, Paul David was born. His skill for photography started then, and many family slide shows were enjoyed through the years. 

Page was born in 1961 in Denton Texas, where the family lived for three years before making Stillwater their home in 1964.

At heart, he was an entertainer and educator. He completed a Masters in Computer Science degree from OSU in 1972. He was a gifted and intelligent man, and a life-long learner. He had been invited to join Mensa. 

Carl always loved visiting with people and had a great sense of humor. He worked in the insurance business, taught some classes at OSU, and later, he worked at Fisher Provence Realtors as photographer and shepherding all the sign duty until his declining health didn’t allow that anymore. 

He took care of his family well and was careful to teach them all he knew and reminded all the children to “be circumspect”. Many family dinners and card games were enjoyed through the years. Throughout his adult life, he paid special care to look after his mother, Nina Provence. 

He was often called upon to use his piano playing talents. He had a special gift for music and would just work off his 4 X 6 cards and entertain people for hours, mostly playing by ear. He was always a welcome addition to bands or as an accompanist throughout the years. He played the piano at church when his children were growing up.

His athletic skills were appreciated in high school, college, and into his later years as he continued playing softball in the senior league. At Oklahoma A & M in the early 1950’s, Henry Iba saw him excel at basketball in the intramural league and invited him onto the practice squad. In 1951, while in high school, he pitched three shut outs and was named outstanding player of the tournament when his Okmulgee softball team won the National Youth Softball Championship. His fastball was impossible to hit. As an adult, he competed in racquetball, and one of his friends gave him a t-shirt that said, “Ask me about my kill shot”.

Throughout his adult life he enjoyed his bridge playing friends and his cats. He also stayed in regular contact with his high school graduating class. He was always up for fun and activities as long as they didn’t start before 11 a.m.

He was predeceased in death by his dad, Barton Rogers Provence, and mother, Nina Provence and son, Paul David Provence. He is survived by his wife, Grace, brother Jim Provence (Cindy), daughter Page (Jim George) and daughter-in-law Jeanette Provence. He is survived by grandchildren Kelsey Kelly (Austin), Mitchell Provence, Averi Blackmon (Jerett), Jill Cooper and Heather Cooper. He is also survived by nine great-grandchildren.

Carl’s legacy of stories, friendship, love and support will live on in the hearts of his family and all who knew him.

Special thanks to the staff at Perry Green Valley for their kindness and care in his final days.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Oklahoma Special Olympics, 6835 S. Canton Ave., Tulsa, OK 74136 or OSU Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 3014 W. 44th St. Stillwater, OK 74074.