Carmelita Jane Reynolds

Carmelita Jane Reynolds was born in Konawa, Oklahoma, August 27, 1928, to George & Iva Summers. While working as a dental hygienist, she met and fell in love with this very handsome man (in Carmelita’s words), Joseph Daniel Reynolds. Carmelita married Joe on September 18, 1950. Carma Jo and Connie Jane were born from their bond of love a few years later. Carmelita grew up enjoying the incredible musical talent of her father, who played the piano for his church and the violin at local shindigs which birthed Carmelita’s life-long passion for music. In 1961, Joe and Carmelita decided to make Stillwater their permanent residence where she began her lifelong career as a piano teacher. Carmelita TRULY loved her students and relished watching their talent for music grow into full fruition. She continued teaching piano until shortly before her death.
One of her unique delights as a grandmother was spending time with her oldest grandson, Jeremy Lee, while he attended O.S.U. She often spoke of their fun times together, right up until the time of her death.
After the death of her oldest daughter in 2011, her family was truly blessed to witness how she clung to her faith with love and gratitude. Carmelita was especially close to her youngest and extremely well-behaved grandson, Doran. Losing her daily time with Doran due to legal actions beyond her control was almost unbearable, yet again – she continued to live an independent life full of faith in God.
Later in life, she began to create poetry using calligraphy to share with her community. She would often say, “I wonder who needs some encouragement?” Then - off, she would go in a creative whirlwind to gift someone with an artificial flower arrangement or a poem. Many times, she would forget to eat or sleep until her creation of love was complete. She dearly loved her church members, continually praying for them because she knew and understood the power of prayer. She truly lived her life to the fullest; she had no intention of slowing down until two weeks before her death when she told her family that her work here on earth might be complete. She concluded, saying, “Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful 90 years of care and provision.”
Carmelita is survived by her daughter & son-in-law, Connie & Robert Lee of Edmond; her youngest grandson from Carma Jo, Doran Michael Cunningham of Broken Arrow; her grandsons Jeremy Robert Lee and wife Jessie Jean of Stilwell, KS., Zechariah Josiah Lee and sweetheart Jessica Renee Jensen of Jenks; her granddaughter Abigail Dawn Lee of Yukon; and her greatgrandchildren Jorja, Margo, Sidney, & Nolan Lee of Stilwell, KS. She was preceded in death by her beautiful daughter, Carma Jo of Stillwater.
Carmelita’s funeral service will be at 2:00 P.M., July 13, at Dighton-Marler Funeral Home, 5106 N. Washington, Stillwater, OK. Visitation available throughout the day.