John Christian Carle

John Christian Carle, beloved husband, father, son and son-in-law, brother and brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend to many, passed on from this life on November 19, 2025, at the age of 56, after a brief battle with cancer. John was born in Tulsa, OK on December 10, 1968, to John R. Carle and Shirley Knost Carle. He was a beloved baby brother to three adoring older sisters, Susan, Nancy, and Carolyn. He grew up in Claremore, Oklahoma, in the 1970s when children were raised in a more free-range manner. He loved to pedal his bicycle all over his area of town, not aware that tales of his shenanigans would reach his mother’s ears. It takes a village, and Claremore is just that kind of village. At the tender age of 11, in 1980, John was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His parents, John and Shirley, did most of the worrying and praying while he was sick and in treatment. John’s primary concern at the time was losing his hair! He won that fight against cancer. And his hair eventually grew back. Far from letting that bout with illness hold him back, he continued to be an active and outdoorsy kid. He played soccer and joined the Boy Scouts. Scouting remained a big part of his life for many years. He was particularly proud of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Some of his fondest memories/stories revolved around his visits to Philmont. Music also played a big role in his life. By the time of his high school graduation (Claremore High class of 1987), he had been a drum major, a soloist, and Homecoming King for Band. He was also a National Merit Scholarship finalist, chaplain of the National Honor Society, and an active participant in Olympics (later Odyssey) of the Mind. After high school, John attended St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where his loving and kind nature helped him forge friendships that lasted through the present day. He graduated in 1991. John then moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he lived for the following 25 years. There he met his best friend, Dimitri Walker, and his first wife, Cheryl Hight Carle. Their son, Christopher, was born in 2005 at which point they adopted him. John achieved his first best destiny as a father. He was a truly remarkable and devoted father. He also pursued his Master of Education degree from Georgia State University (class of 2008). It was at this time that he began to fulfill his next, best destiny: special education. Serving the underserved, working with at-risk kids, and helping historically underestimated children achieve their best, became his career mission. He was the Disabilities and Accessibility Coordinator for RSU at the time of his passing. He was always bravely open about his struggles with mental health and sobriety. A woman he knew in high school reached out to him to thank him for his candor and bravery. They began a correspondence that blossomed into a friendship, which eventually deepened into the truest of true loves. After a lengthy and romantic courtship, John married the love of his life, Jennifer Steeley-Carle, on April 6, 2018. They raised their blended family together; John was granted custody of Christopher on December 10, 2018, whereupon he joined Adam and Sara in the family home. They had many adventures together as a family, most recently visiting John’s alma mater in Santa Fe, NM. John was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer on September 29, 2025. This battle was mercifully short, and the pain was well-managed by Hospice of Green Country. John died at home, in his own bed, in the loving arms of his wife, Jennifer. 

He is preceded in death by his father, John R. Carle, his grandparents, and recently his aunt, Nancy Bloomfield. 

He is survived by his wife Jennifer Steeley-Carle, of the home, and his children Christopher John Carle, Sara Jewel Dubois, and Adam Wallace Dubois, of the home. He is also survived by his mother, Shirley Carle of Tulsa, and his sisters: Susan Young and husband Tim, Nancy Bizjack and husband Paul, Carolyn Carle and husband George Miller, all of Tulsa. Also surviving are nephews David and Josh Young, Brian and John Bizjack, Eric and Nick Saulnier, and niece Laura Hardy. He also leaves grieving loved ones in his wife’s family: father in-law and mother-in-law, Bob and Brenda Steeley, who loved and accepted him and his son as family. Karen Watson, Jennifer’s sister, who helped care for him on his last day of life. Brother in-law, Jimmy Watson. And his nephew and niece, Jacob and Lily Watson. 

He will also be mourned by the countless young people who he helped and mentored over the years. May his memory be a blessing for all of his family, friends, and colleagues.