Carl Edward Beavers, (M/SGT. RET.), age 89, passed away at home in Poteau on May 20, 2018; his family was by his bedside. Carl had suffered for several years with a variety of health problems: open heart surgery, three angioplasties, six heart stents, one kidney tube, two congestive heart failures, the first heart attack, a pacemaker, high blood pressure, diabetes, and diabetic coma.
Carl was born at Mt. Pleasant, near Heavener, he was predeceased by his parents Coleman and Mana Beavers and two brothers Leroy and Cloyd Don. His sister Wilma Bujack, the lone family survivor, resides in CA. Carl attended school at Howe, and his wife Myrtle Bell Morton graduated from Heavener High School in 1952. They were married on January 6, 1953.
Sgt. Beavers enlisted in the Army on March 3, 1948, and was stationed at Perrin Field, TX; later serving on Guam for one year and subsequently one year on Johnson Island before being transferred to Shaw AFB, SC. Upon his return to the states, it was then that he married his sweetheart in Ft. Smith on Jan 6, 1953, and the couple moved to Sumter, SC. On April 28, 1954, a daughter, Stephanie, was born.
Two years later in February, he was sent to Shepherd’s Grove AFB, England, for three years; his family followed in May. While in England, the young couple toured nine different countries in Europe for almost a month in 1957. In 1958, they were transferred to Otis AFB, MA, for three years. However, before long, he was assigned duty as a crane operator on the Texas Towers (DEW Line) located 130 miles off the coast of Cape Cod.
On Sep 15, 1959, a daughter Cary Jo was born at the Otis AFB hospital, followed by a son on Dec 29, 1960. Three years later, Sgt. Beavers was transferred to Tyndall AFB, FL, for three years. In Jan 1966, he was assigned to the Red Horse division and soon left for Phan Rang, Vietnam, for a 13-month stay, returning to Hurlburt Field, FL, 1967. He remained there until his retirement from the Air Force in May, 1969.
In 1976, Kerr-McGee hired him as a crane operator, sending him first to Singapore to work as they finished building Rig 63 for service. Once built, the rig was moved by water to Burma where he joined the rig when drilling for oil started. From there, the rig was moved to Bangladesh for more drilling; stops were made in Sri Lanka for supplies before heading to Bombay and stopping there for repairs. Carl stayed on Rig 63 from Burma to the Persian Gulf where they drilled near Sharja, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. He lived in Sharja and Dubai for nine months before he began working 28 days on the rig and 28 days at home. This routine lasted until 1986 when he retired because of severe back problems. Upon returning home, Carl had circumnavigated the globe.
Sgt. Beavers is survived by his wife of 64 years and was of the Christian faith. They had three children: Stephanie (Middle East), Cary Jo Knight (Destin, FL), & Chris Beavers (Sandy Springs, GA); then six grandchildren followed: Stacey, Katheryn, Cameron, Christopher, Coleman, Cary Anne, & Caleb. Lastly, five great-grandchildren enriched the couple’s lives: Callie, Jaxson, Gabriel, Miguel, & Selena.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 24, 2018 at the Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home Chapel in Heavener, Oklahoma with Reverend Billy Watkins officiating.
Burial will follow in Heavener Memorial Park under the direction of Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home of Heavener, Oklahoma with military honors.
Pallbearers will be: Alan Taylor and Dylan McSweeney
Honorary Pallbearers will be: Christopher Beavers, Sr., Christopher Beavers, Jr., Coleman Beavers, Caleb Beavers, and Barry George.
Viewing will be from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., Thursday.
The family will visit with friends from 10:00 a.m. until noon, Thursday at the funeral home.
To sign Mr. Beavers’ online guestbook please visit www.dowdenrobertsfuneralhome.com
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