Kathy Lynn Carmichael

She attended Taft school in Enid and later graduated from high school in Paris Texas. She attended Paris Jr. College and then earned her associate degree as a Registered Nurse from Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City. She was recognized as the Nursing Student of the year. She then earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Texas graduating Magna Cum Laude. She was recognized again by her fellow students and the faculty as the “Outstanding Nursing student”.

After graduation she worked as an emergency room nurse in Jacksonville, Texas and then in Enid, Oklahoma. She then moved to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University to pursue a Master’s Degree in Nursing Science. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Vanderbilt and was voted by her fellow students as the “Most Compassionate Nurse”. Until recently, she worked as a Nurse Practitioner for Foundations Bariatric Hospital in Edmond.

She worked to share the Gospel through an evangelistic association where she taught English as a Second language in Poland as a witness for Christ. During the time she was in Poland, it was still under communist rule, and American Christians had to be registered with the government as teachers. They were not allowed to openly to share the gospel or to witness. She worked for a brief time with the European Baptist Union. The European Baptist Union held their annual summer conference in Interlaken Switzerland. For 6 years, Kathy returned to Switzerland and assisted with the children’s Vacation Bible School during the conference.

An avid student of the Bible, Kathy attended Torchbearers Bible Schools in Bodenseehof, Germany and Capernwray, England. Between semesters, she volunteered with an organization to smuggle Bibles and Bible literature into communist ruled countries. She assured her family, that if she was arrested by communist authorities, that she could be held only for six weeks. Her family wondered. Twice, she worked with Christian volunteers who spoke little English, thus making her witnessing much more difficult. Her most frightening experience during those times was with Czech border guards. Kathy and her team were detained for six hours while the guards searched their car and trailer for Bibles, which they never found. She truly believed the Lord was protecting her and her team. She later served on mission trips to Belgium, Cuba and Bolivia.

Upon returning from Nashville, Kathy became a member of Crossings Community Church and was active in the choir. She enjoyed choir practices and singing during the worship services. Her commitment to sing in the choir continued until a few weeks before she went home to the Lord.

She is survived by her mother Edithe , brother Mike Carmichael and sister-in-law Kathy Carmichael, sister Countess Lee and brother –in-law Peter Lee, nieces Whitney Taylor and Abbey Pate, nephew Rob Carmichael. She has two great nephews, Owen and Jack Taylor and two great nieces Hannah and Hayley Whitaker, plus several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father Robert Carmichael and niece Melissa Lee Whitaker.