Carmen (Arteberry) Thompson

Carmen was born May 18, 1972 to Dewayne and Mary Arteberry. Carmen was a happy surprise for her parents, arriving years after her siblings and bringing a renewed joy and happiness to their family. She graduated from McLoud High School in 1990, where she was an active member of the marching band and First Baptist Church of Newalla during her high school years. In 1990, Carmen moved to Tahlequah, OK with her parents, and she called Tahlequah home for the remainder of her life. On February 23, 1996, Carmen married Lloyd Dee Thompson in Eureka Springs, AR. Together they raised three wonderful children, Emily, Clayton, and Olivia, and enjoyed a 29 year marriage of love, happiness, laughter, and memories.

Carmen was an active member of Park Hill Baptist Church in Keys, OK, where she served in the nursery for over 20 years. Her greatest joy in life was being a wife, mother, and grandmother, and she dedicated her life to caring not only for her own family but also helping other families raise their children. She was a self-proclaimed head chef, chauffeur, and chief bottle washer for her own three children as well as many other kids in the Tahlequah community. Carm especially loved babies, and her ideal day consisted of baby snuggles, catching up with her kids, and a cold Coca-Cola. Carm and Lloyd’s home was always full of children, toys, and laughter and was the hub of fun and activities for their nieces and nephews in the summers while their parents worked. Carmen’s pride and joy were her grandchildren–Lucas, Ameila, and Harper Jo. She absolutely adored being their Gemma and beamed anytime she could tell stories about them or show off their pictures.

Although none of us were ready for her to go, her legacy lives on in the lives of her family and the many people she influenced throughout her life. Carmen is preceded in death by her father, Dewayne Arteberry. She is survived by her husband, Lloyd Thompson of Tahlequah, OK; her son, Clayton Thompson and wife Sarah of Tahlequah, OK; her daughters Emily Myers of Tahlequah, OK and Olivia Sloate and husband Dylan of Owasso, OK; grandchildren Lucas Castro, Ameilia Thompson, and Harper Thompson of Tahlequah, OK; mother Mary Arteberry of Checotah, OK; sister Cindy Wilkey and husband Curtis of Checotah, OK; brother Mitchell Arteberry and wife Peggy of McAlester, OK; Carmen also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins, “her kids” she helped take care of, and a host of friends and loved ones who miss her dearly.

A visitation will be held on November 13, 2025 from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm at Reed-Culver Funeral Home, 117 West Delaware Street, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Funeral services to celebrate Carmen’s life will be held Friday, November, 14th at 2:00 pm at Park Hill Baptist Church, 22432 State Highway 82, Tahlequah, Oklahoma with Pastor John Lee officiating. Carmen will be laid to rest at Warner Memorial Cemetery at a later date.