Karla Janell Henry

Service for Karla Henry will be 10:00a.m., Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at MMS-Payne Funeral Home Chapel, burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. Friends may visit at the funeral home on Monday, June 30, from 2pm-7pm, with family receiving visitors from 5pm-7pm.

Karla Janell Henry, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and educator, passed away on June 25, 2025, in Claremore, Oklahoma, at the age of 76. Born on June 7, 1949, in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Karla was the daughter of Raymond and Wilma (Hancock) Davidson. Her educational journey began in Chickasha, where she attended grade school and then continued at Eli Whitney Jr. High School in Tulsa. She proudly graduated from Nathan Hale High School in 1967. Karla pursued her passion for music at Oklahoma Baptist University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in music education.

On September 4, 1971, she married John Bret Henry. Their first home was in Edmond, Oklahoma, later Dallas was home with John's schooling. While in Dallas, Karla worked at the Employment Commission. Then they moved to Oklahoma City where John finished his residency. Claremore became home in 1979, and Karla taught music at Inola Schools. She worked until she started having children, then she became a devoted mother.

While Karla dedicated herself to raising her children, she also supported her husband's dental practice, handling bookkeeping duties. She was an active participant in the Claremore community, serving on various committees within Claremore Public Schools to advocate for educational improvements. As a band booster, she chaperoned countless trips, sharing her love for music with her children and their friends.

Her family will fondly remember her not only for her commitment to helping others but also for the rich memories created around the joy of reading. Karla possessed a remarkable library of books and instilled a love for reading in her children and grandchildren.

Karla was a woman of profound faith and a vibrant presence in her church community. She led the praise and worship team at St. Andrews and First Methodist, filling many lives with the joy of music. Her beautiful singing voice graced numerous events, including funerals, as she used her gift to bring comfort to those in need.

She is survived by her loving husband, John Henry; their children, Jared Henry, Jamye Biggs and her husband Ryan, Joshua Henry, and Markus Henry; her grandchildren, Grant Biggs, Jace Biggs, and baby Elsie, who is on her way; and her brother, Dennis Davidson and his wife Jo Ellen, stepbrothers Greg Weipert and wife Jan and Ken Weipert and wife Rosa. Karla was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Davidson and Wilma (Hancock) Davidson Weipert, and her sister, Cindy Davidson.

She will be remembered for her unwavering spirit, her dedication to family and community, and her joyful love of music and reading. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness and a heartfelt commitment to making the world a better place, one note at a time.