Charline (Blagg) Barker

Charline (Blagg) Barker, long-time resident of Seminole, Oklahoma, passed away August 3, 2019 at Avonlea Cottage in Seminole. She was born September 12, 1927 in a tent on the south edge of Seminole to parents Charles Otis Blagg, Sr. and Jessie Mae (Ayers) Blagg. Charline attended elementary school at Liberty, Prague and Good Hope Schools. She graduated from Varnum High School as Valedictorian. She attended one year at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee before completing her degree at Oklahoma A&M (now OSU) in Stillwater. She completed graduate degrees at East Central University and the University of Oklahoma. On August 15, 1949, she married John Andrew Barker and they made their home in Seminole. She taught at New Lima High School for 43 years where she served as cheerleader sponsor and pep club sponsor for 38 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Seminole where she taught Sunday School for many years. Charline also belonged to the Oklahoma Educators Association, Seminole County Retired Teachers, AAUW, Self Culture Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, served as an Ombudsman for nursing home facilities and was part of the White-Haired Legislature. The family would like to express grateful thanks for the loving care Charline received from Avonlea Cottage; especially Collette, Vicky, Treasha, Shavar, Karin and Jason, Faith Hospice; especially Megan, Robin, Jenny, Danya and Ramona, Home Health; Chrys and Stephanie and Doctors; especially, Dr. John Randolph, Dr. Kemp, Dr. Sawhini and Dr. Crayven. Charline is survived by her son Steven A.  Barker and his wife Susan (Finke) Barker of Cincinnati, Ohio, her daughter Carolyn (Barker) Allen and her husband Cecil G. Allen of Lenexa, Kansas, grandchildren; John W. Allen and significant other Lisa Deaton of Missouri, Justin A. Barker and his wife Elizabeth of Maryland, Elizabeth Allen Duckworth and her husband Clay of Kansas and Lauren Barker of Cincinnati, Ohio, great grandchildren; Azavier Pitts of Norman, Oklahoma, Ian and Kaitlyn Wallace of Kansas, Jacob, Ethan and Evelyn Barker of Maryland and Elora Symes of Kansas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Otis Blagg, Sr. and Jessie Mae (Ayers) Blagg, of Seminole, her husband, John Andrew Barker, who passed away in 1993 and her brother and sister-in-law Charles Otis Blagg, Jr. and Shirley Blagg of Henryetta, Oklahoma. Viewing for Charline will begin Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at Swearingen Funeral Home, 1001 N. Milt Phillips Avenue in Seminole, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, August 17, 2019 at the First Baptist Church, 420 Reid Street, Seminole, Oklahoma with Matt Pollock officiating. Burial will follow at Little Cemetery, north of Seminole. Casket bearers will be John Allen, Justin Barker, Patrick Garbutt, Joseph Anson, Ronnie Leewright and Larry Wright. Honorary bearers will be Max Smith, Edward Gillespie, Ronnie Dice, Kenneth Edwards, Marvin Keesee and Ron Frederick. Arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma. Funeral Information: August 17, 2019, 2:00 PM First Baptist Church located at 420 Reid, Seminole, OK 74868