Carmoleta Paul

Carmoleta Vaughn Paul was born October 26, 1916 to Samuel and Laura Vaughn of Maysville, Oklahoma, the youngest of eleven (11) children. She gained her gift for teaching from her father, who had opened the first public school in Maysville before Oklahoma statehood. She graduated from Maysville High School and received baccalaureate and Masters’ degrees from East Central University. She graduated with high honors in four majors: history, math, speech and science. Her highest educational honor was winning the National Contest of College Debaters along with her teammates Dorothy Summers and May Boren. In 1996 she was also inducted into “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers”. Carmoleta’s first teaching position was at Elmore City. There she met and married William (Bill) I. Paul, Jr. November 26, 1941. Less than a year after their marriage, Bill was called to serve in WWII. Carmoleta continued to teach in Elmore City and Pauls Valley school system until the birth of their first child, a daughter, Bileta, in October 1944. By the end of that year, Bill had been sent to the Pacific Theater of war. He had only seen Bileta for one hour before leaving for overseas. After the Japanese surrender he remained in Japan until December 1946 and was then discharged. Upon his return to the States, the family moved to Kilgore, Texas where he worked as a manager for Wackers. It was here that their son, William I. Paul III was born in 1947. In 1949, the family moved back to Elmore City where their daughter, Jimmie Carol was born. In 1951, Bill was called back to service during the Korean conflict as an officer in the 45th Division and spent another two years overseas. Carmoleta resumed teaching a week after Bill left. After his discharge, Carmoleta and Bill raised their children in Elmore City, where all three graduated from high school. Carmoleta was first and foremost a Christian. She was baptized into Christ at the age of ten at the Maysville Church of Christ. After marriage, Carmoleta and Bill were both faithful members of the Church of Christ of Elmore City where Bill was an Elder for approximately thirty years. Carmoleta and Bill celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary not long before Bill’s death. Carmoleta believed wholly in Matthew 6:3 “seek ye first the kingdom of God” and demonstrated this throughout her life. She believed that by putting God first, it made her a better wife, a more caring mother and a better grandmother. It made her a better teacher for the church and institutions of learning. Carmoleta spoke to many ladies groups in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Utah and New Mexico. She touched many lives intellectually and spiritually. While she was a strong advocate of secular education, she believed it was of little value without the spiritual value. Carmoleta was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, William, I Paul, Jr., her daughter Belita Burns, seven sisters and three brothers. She is survived by her daughter, Jimmie Carol Blaker and her husband, Dan, of Sugarland, Texas and her son, William I. Paul III and his wife, Cindy, of Ada, Oklahoma, two granddaughters, Amy Assiter of Canyon, Texas and Melody Lozano of Houston, Texas, five grandsons, Ike Wilson of Elmore City, Brad Wilson of Moore, Yancy Paul of Lexington, Caleb Paul of Canyon, Texas and Jonathan Blaker of Houston, Texas, Alan Eldred of Carthage, Tennessee and Adam Eldred of Lenexa, Virginia. She is also survived by eighteen great grandchildren. Funeral services for Carmoleta Vaughn Paul are scheduled for Thursday May 19, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in the Church of Christ in Elmore City with Joe Terrell officiating. Interment will be in the Elmore City Cemetery under the direction of Wooster Funeral Home. You may send a condolence to the family at www.woosterfuneralhomes.com. The family will receive family and friends for visitation at the funeral home on Tuesday afternoon from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Carmoleta Paul

October 26, 1916 - May 15, 2011