Carol Thomas Smith

Carol T. C. T. Smith, lifelong Cleveland resident, passed away on Saturday, June 18, 2005 at his home in Cleveland at the age of seventy-seven years, two months and eight days.

C. T. was born April 10, 1928 in Cleveland, Oklahoma. He was the son of J. T. and Viola M. Smith. Carol was raised in Cleveland and attended school here. At the age of seventeen, C. T. enlisted into the service of his country in the United States Marine Corps. He served as a Private First Class in the Asiatic Pacific Theater from May 1946 through December 1947. He was honorably discharged from active duty on December 29, 1947 and returned to Cleveland.

C. T. was married to Opal Nichols on December 9, 1948. The couple made their initial home in Cleveland, moving to Okmulgee when an employment opportunity with Green Construction, as an electrician, for Carol required him being away from
home for extended periods. The couple raised four children in Okmulgee, Randy, Sherry, Don and Tommy. C. T. later accepted a position as a lineman for Public Service of Oklahoma in Okmulgee where he worked for twenty years. Following a divorce from Opal in 1971, Carol returned to Cleveland.

Carol immediately accepted employment with Indian Electric Cooperative as a lineman upon his arrival in Cleveland. He was married to Ruby E. Smith on April 16, 1973 in Cleveland. The couple made their home in Cleveland throughout their marriage until Ruby preceded him in death on April 6, 1991. Throughout this time Carol worked for IEC and assisted Ruby in the operation of the Cleveland Economy Store. The couple would often travel on weekends to sales to bring back merchandise for sale in the store.

C. T. was married to Gayle Shipman on October 8, 1994 in Cleveland, Oklahoma after being introduced by a mutual friend Jim Ed Edmonson. C. T. was a charter and lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post 6678 in Cleveland. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Post and served as Quartermaster of the post for over thirty years. For the past few years he has been assisted in the duties of Quartermaster by his wife, Gayle. Additionally, C. T. was a member of the American Legion. His hobbies included overseeing the daily operation of the VFW Post, vegetable gardening and for the past couple of years watching baseball on television.

C. T. is survived by his wife, Gayle Smith, of the home; three sons, Don and his wife, Debbie Smith of Quinton, Oklahoma, Tommy Smith of Perkins, Oklahoma and Russell and his wife, Terri Andrews of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; daughter and her husband, Sherry and Jimmie Maroutsos of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; ten grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, brother and his wife, Cecil and Betty Smith of Tulsa, Oklahoma and a sister, Dean Bettes, Arkansas City, Kansas. In addition to his wife, Ruby, C. T. was preceded in death by his parents, step-father, John House, son, Randy Smith, brother, Rudy Smith and a sister, Madie Duncan.