Claudette Elaine Parker

Claudette Elaine Oxford-Parker was born on April 2nd, 1943, the daughter of Melvin and Cornelia (Phillips) Oxford. She grew up with two sisters and one brother, Delores, Dale, and Melva. She attended and graduated from Tahlequah High School. She then married and started her family with the birth of her first born, Michael Janes. Her husband died unexpectedly and Claudette moved to California with her mother. Her family continued to grow with the birth of her daughter, Cornelia Elizabeth, Beth for short. They returned to Oklahoma where Claudette finished her degree in education at NSU, her first teaching job being in Hulbert. Following Hulbert, Wyandotte became home and she taught there for 1 year, settling in Paden schools. She returned to Tahlequah a year later and taught in Colcord for 3 years, returning to Cherokee Elementary for 12 years and finally finishing her career at Greenwood Elementary for 11 years. She was very athletic, loved snow skiing and water skiing. As her family grew, she loved watching her kids, and grandkids play sports. She was determined, headstrong, knew her own mind and had no problems expressing her thoughts. She possessed a beautiful smile and eyes that lit up when she talked. Her love was for children and teaching them all she could possibly could teach, math being her strong point. You wouldn’t slide by in her classroom, she wouldn’t think of it. She enjoyed her downtime hanging out with friends and loved going out to eat. She loved any chance to be with her family and had a soft spot for her children and her son in law, Steve. She made herself available to her grandsons, any time of day or night, to go pick them up from the river after a long day of fishing. Her health began to decline and she passed from this life on March 14th, 2022 in Stilwell, OK, with her loved ones by her side. She was 78 years old and will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, her mother and father, her son. Larry Joe Barnes Jr., one brother, Dale Oxford, one sister, Delores Reeve, and her nieces, Angela Shroff who she raised as one of her own.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Michael Janes and wife Vicki of Puyallup, WA, daughter Beth Weaver and husband Steve of Westville, OK, and sister Melva Dean Mauck of Avon, FL. She lives on in her five grandchildren, Alan Janes of Tahlequah, Aaron Crocker of Colcord, Jacob Crocker of Springdale, AR, Miles Crocker and wife Cherish of Stilwell, OK, and Colt Weaver of Proctor, OK. She also leaves four great grandchildren, Emeri Crocker of Farmington, Marshall Crocker of Westville, OK, Aero Crocker of Stilwell, OK, Caroline Crocker of Colcord, OK, her companion , Sam Richardson of the home in Tahlequah, former husband , Bob Parker of Westville, OK, and many nieces, nephews cousins and students whose lives were made better because of Claudette’s love of learning.

Graveside services for Claudette Elaine Oxford-Parker will be held on Friday, March 18th, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Tahlequah City Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers include her grandchildren, Alan Janes, Aaron Crocker, Jacob Crocker, Miles Crocker, and Colt Weaver. Honorary great grandchildren include Emeri Crocker, Marshall Crocker, Aero Crocker, and Caroline Crocker.

Online condolences for her family may be left at www.reedculver.com.