Carrol E. Travis

Carrol E. Travis was born August 5, 1915 in rural Custer County, near Moorewood, Oklahoma. He was the son of R. B. and Nora Blanche (Long) Travis. His family consisted of three brothers, Willis, Willard and Jack; and two sisters, Pearl and Opal. Carrol came from a long line of people who cherished family connections, and was born into a family that loved and nurtured each other. Carrol was raised and attended much of his schooling at Moorewood School and Pie Flat School. During his final year of school he decided to transfer to Quartermaster School. During his school years he was looking out a window and saw on the playground a beautiful girl, Marjorie Burch, or Kitty as she was known far and wide. He pursued her with total dedication and within a few years, in the midst of the drought and great depression the couple was married on December 2, 1933. Kitty came as a package deal, together with her parents, and Carrol saw to it that wherever he and Kitty lived there was always a house nearby for her parents, who loved him like a son. The family made their initial home in Custer County in Western Oklahoma, except for a brief time in Arizona, until 1952. Carrol and Kitty had their first child, a daughter named Shirley, in 1934, a son who was named after his grandfather, R. B. in 1940, a daughter, Kay in 1942, a son, Richard in 1947, and finally their last son, Jack in 1961. After moving to Hallett in 1952, they enrolled their children in school and the family joined the First Baptist Church. When Hallett lost first its high school and then the entire school the children transferred to the Cleveland School System. As a young person his hobbies included fishing, hunting and racing greyhounds. Carrol farmed throughout his life but when the children reached their teenage years, he found employment with Gillespie and Sons in Cushing. Additionally, he worked in the oilfields of Northeastern Oklahoma. He later and often with his son, R. B. worked as a carpenter building many houses throughout the area; working for Frank Horine Construction for several years. As each child graduated high school, the girls went to Tulsa to work and the boys joined the military. Carrol Travis lived his life with decency, integrity and honor. His life was an example of the best that man has to give, and his legacy is a great and lasting love. He outlived not only his parents and all of his siblings, but also his wife, Kitty, a daughter Shirley, and a son, Richard and his wife, Linda as well. Carrol passed away on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 near Maramec in rural Pawnee County, Oklahoma at the age of ninety-three. Survivors are his two sons and their wives, Brian Jack and Julie Travis of Maramec, Oklahoma and R. B. and Ruby Travis of Pawnee, Oklahoma; daughter, Carolyn Kay Barnett of Toowomba, Australia; nine grandchildren, Charles Sparks of Hobart, Indiana, Raymond Sparks of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Mike Travis of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Terry Travis of Maramec, Oklahoma, Cheryl Travis of Dewey, Oklahoma, Tim Travis of Maramec, Oklahoma, Katelyn Travis of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Robert Travis of Maramec, Oklahoma and Carolynn Travis of Maramec, Oklahoma; and fifteen great-grandchildren.