Carol Lee

Carol Sue Lee was born in 1956 in Tulsa, OK, to her loving parents, Donald Harold and Betty Sue Marple. She was the cherished sister to her three brothers. She spent over half her life in Tulsa, graduating from East Central High School in 1975. After raising her children to elementary age, Carol earned her B.S. in nursing and began serving at Saint Francis Hospital, where she ministered for over 30 years in the same unit. While there, she cared for thousands and mentored many nurses. Though she never sought any recognition, she was honored with the Nurse Mentor Award for her many years of selfless service. Carol exemplified the words of her Savior that whoever would be first must become servant of all. Whether caring for her boys and two foster sons, loving her seven precious grandchildren, serving in children’s and women’s ministries at church, or caring for her patients as a nurse, she was always more interested in seeing others thrive than in her own accomplishments.

At 19, Carol married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, John. They had the blessing of celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this past August. As many have remarked, they seemed to grow more in love with each passing day. As a pastor’s wife, not only did she pour herself into supporting John’s ministry, but she impacted countless lives, discipling, praying, serving, and encouraging to the end. In 2002 Carol moved from Tulsa to Tahlequah, OK with John as he answered the call to serve as Pastor of Park Hill Baptist Church. They served there together for almost twenty years and continued to serve as members even after John’s retirement in 2021. Falling in love with the people and the scenery, they would come to call this their home.

After attending a women’s conference one year, Carol was inspired to begin reading through the Bible yearly while journaling and praying for a specific child or grandchild. Over the years, she passed down nine well-loved Bibles to her children and grandchildren—each one read through, prayed over, and marked with her prayers and reflections. This act of love has inspired many more to do the same, making an eternal impact that extends across generations and even throughout the world. This is one small example of how she quietly served the Lord while He mightily used her service for the growth of His kingdom.

Even to her dying day, she handed out written copies of her personal testimony of how God sustained her through a deeply trying battle with cancer. Her testimony has been shared with doctors and nurses, many churches, and among her family and friends. In it she reminded us that God’s goodness is sufficient for any trial and that His faithfulness never ends. Her greatest desire in her life and in her death was that she would honor and glorify her Savior Jesus Christ who gave her the greatest gift of all—the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life in Him.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents Donald Harold and Betty Sue Marple. She is survived by her husband John, her children Eric and his wife Nathalie, Davy and his wife Erica, her grandchildren, Sam, Paxton, Calvin, Oliver, Iris, Daniel, and Garrett, her brothers, Terry and wife Pam, Steve and wife Candy, Chris and wife Melissa, and her stepmother, Carmen.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on September 29, 2026, at Park Hill Baptist Church in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A private graveside service will take place before the service at Tahlequah City Cemetery at 9:30 am.

Honorary pallbearers will be the Ageless Disciples Sunday School Class.

If you would like to honor Carol’s life of service, you may donate to either of the mission organizations listed below.

Britney and Micah Wilfong, Medical Missionaries in Kenya: https://www.kenyaoperate.com/

Juan Carlos and Katlyn Caceres, Church Planting Missionaries in Honduras: https://www.legacymissioninternational.org/caceresfamily