Kerry Garner

July 29, 1952 - December 14, 2014

Kerry Garner, 62, of Willow, Ok., passed away Sunday, December 14, 2014, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City, after a brief illness. Kerry was born on July 29, 1952, in Sayre, Ok. to Hazel (Anderton) Garner and Travis Garner. She graduated from Granite High School in 1970 and later received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. Kerry began her teaching career in Moore, working there for three years, before coming to work for the Altus Schools in 1976. That year would begin a tenure that would span 26 years and include science teaching assignments at both Northeast Junior High and later Altus Junior High. She retired in 2003, the same year she was named Teacher of the Year for AJH. During her time she was very involved in both the classroom and co-curricular activities, serving as pep club and cheerleader sponsors at various times. Because of her love for children, Kerry was a natural educator. She was very dedicated and committed to her profession. Through high expectations and a focused classroom, she repeatedly prepared her students for the challenges that lay ahead of them. She was tough, but forgiving, and taught students a great deal both within the curriculum and how to be better people. To her friends Kerry could be described as fiercely loyal and the limitations of her generosity were endless. She was at her core a farm girl, happiest when she was gardening in the summer or riding around the pasture with her parents or her black lab Jett. Though retired on her farm, north of Willow, she managed to maintain frequent and even daily contact with many former students and colleagues on Facebook. Kerry also had a great sense of commitment to the Carter Cemetery where she truly enjoyed organizing and maintaining the cemetery records. Kerry is survived by her mother, Hazel of Willow, her faithful companion, Jett, several cousins and neighbors, and countless students whose lives she impacted over a life and career well-spent. Funeral services will be 2:00 pm, Saturday, December 20, 2014 at the Peoples Co-Operative Funeral Home Chapel in Lone Wolf, Ok. Interment will follow in the Carter Cemetery, Carter, OK. Arrangements are with People's Co-Operative Funeral Home in Lone Wolf. Please view and sign our online guest book at www.peoplescooperativefuneralhome.com Funeral Home will be open until 8:00pm on Thursday & Friday.