Trudy M. Stonebarger

Trudy Mureen Stonebarger, 77, of Claremore, Oklahoma, passed away from complications following an automobile accident on Monday, October 12, 2026. She was an amazing wife, mother, nana, aunt and friend. Her absence is felt by all who loved her.

Trudy was the middle daughter of Freeman and Vila (Hughes) Caskey. She was born on Monday, December 27, 1948, in Sioux City, Iowa and lived there until her father passed away in March 1964 from a sudden heart attack. Trudy was 15, her older sister Vida was 17 and her younger sister, Cheri, was 11. Shortly after his death, the girls all moved in with their maternal uncle and aunt, Jim and Bernice Hughes. This was where she lived until she graduated high school. Soon after she got married to her first husband, who was killed in a traffic accident four years later.

Trudy met the love of her life in early August 1973. Larry Stonebarger was sent to Nebraska as a foreman of a construction company. They met at a local hangout and began exclusively dating in late September. Trudy would later say that he wanted to get married right away. Larry confessed he was afraid someone else would snatch her up. They were married weeks later in a courthouse ceremony on November 9, 1973, a few days after his 25th birthday. They made their home in South Sioux City, Nebraska.

Melissa Mureen was born in April 1975. When she was a couple months old, the new family moved back to Oklahoma, where they briefly stayed with Larry’s parents before getting a house in Catoosa. They decided to build their dream home in Claremore in 1978, starting construction right after the birth of their second daughter, Rebecca Diane, in October 1978. They moved into the new house in September 1979. This would be the house Trudy lived in for the next 47 years.

Trudy became a Nana early January 2008, when her first grandson, Michael Joseph, was born. Melissa had been hoping for a girl to dress up in ribbons and bows and fancy dresses. Trudy would later admit that she had been praying for a boy, stating “I raised girls, and grew up with sisters. I wanted to know what it was like to raise a boy.” Trudy got her wish again 7 years later when Rebecca had Wesley Dean in February 2015.

In February 1988, Trudy was hired to run the printing press at Rogers State College in Claremore. She was there through several transitions: when RSC became Rogers University, offering associate’s degrees and again when it became Rogers State University, offering bachelor’s degrees. Trudy worked her way up from press operator to office manager after receiving an associate’s degree in business administration. She retired in 2018 after 30 years of trusted service. Trudy didn’t spend her retirement traveling the world or lazing at home. She spent it doing what she loved best; spending time with her family. For the last six years, Trudy dedicated herself to caring for Wesley.

Trudy went to be with her Lord at 1:45pm on Monday, October 12, 2026. She was surrounded by her husband Larry and daughters, Melissa and Rebecca. Larry never left her side, holding her hand until the end, proving again how very devoted he was to her, over a half century later.

Trudy was preceded in death by her parents, Freeman Caskey and Vila Hilbert; in-laws Jess and Betty Stonebarger; nieces Jaime Trosky and Tammy Kunkel; and brothers-in-law Darryl Kunkel and Gary Stonebarger.

Survivors include her husband of almost 53 years, Larry Stonebarger; daughters Melissa Vanderhoof and Rebecca Stonebarger; grandsons Michael Vanderhoof and Wesley Names, all of Claremore; sisters Vida Kunkel of Sioux City, IA and Cheri Kurtz and husband Gary, of Correctionville, IA; sister-in-law Sharon Stonebarger of Claremore; many nieces and nephews, and scores of dear friends.