Carolyn Joy “Tiny” Wilburn was born on April 1, 1935, to Carroll and Flora (Powers) Gunter in rural Carnegie, Oklahoma. She passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Corn Heritage Village Nursing Home in Weatherford, Oklahoma, at the age of 90.  She was the second of six children and helped her mom with the younger siblings. Carolyn attended Alfalfa School. On June 8, 1951, she married the love of her life Orbie Gene Wilburn in Anadarko, Oklahoma. They made their home in Oklahoma City for a short time before moving to Eakly in 1955. Together, they built a life centered on family, hard work, and community. Carolyn and Orbie enjoyed their horses and were members of the Eakly Round-Up Club and enjoyed weekends at the lake skiing and boating. Carolyn sold Avon products and helped Orbie at their store. Later, she and her sister, Reta, owned and operated Main Street Fashions in Carnegie for several years. Carolyn and her sisters, Ann and Reta, had so much fun while attending Market and picking out merchandise for their store. In later years, Carolyn worked as a waitress and served as a caretaker for several residents of Eakly.  Carolyn was a talented painter who took great pride in her yard and flower gardens. She also enjoyed baking and decorating cakes for family and friends. She cherished time spent with family and friends and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Eakly. The entire town helped look after Carolyn before her move to the nursing home. Special thanks to Jim and Barbara Yearwood, Harold and Lisa Root, Karen Vineyard, and the entire Eakly Community, which she loved so much.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carroll and Flora Gunter; her husband, Orbie Gene Wilburn; son, Darrin Wilburn; son-in-law, Terry Kenedy; grandson, Orbie Dewayne Wilburn; and siblings, Joyce Cowling, Ann Murphy, Bud Gunter and Jimmie Gunter.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Carol Kenedy of Edmond, Oklahoma; son, Gary Wilburn and wife Linda of Ardmore, Oklahoma, grandchildren, Brandon Wilburn, Tara Morrison and husband Ty, and Tessa Jackson and husband Jerremy; great-grandchildren, Kenedy and MyKenzie Morrison, Julian and Jacobi Jackson, and Chase and Gage Wilburn; siblings, Reta Coats and husband Dewey, and sister-in-law Angie; along with numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and many friends.

Carolyn’s family requests memorial donations to the Eakly Fire Department (PO BOX 305, Eakly OK 73033) or the Alzheimer Association ( ALZ.org) in her memory.

Carolyn’s family will be at the Turner Funeral Home to receive friends and other family from 4PM-7PM, Friday, November 14, 2025, in Hinton, OK. Viewing will be from 5PM-9PM, Thursday, 9AM-9PM Friday and from 9AM-11AM on Saturday. 

Funeral services will be 1PM, Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the First Baptist Church in Eakly, Oklahoma, with burial following at Eakly Cemetery, with Rev. Doyle Wilburn officiating. Services are entrusted to Turner Funeral Home of Hinton, Oklahoma.

Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, turnerfh.net, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TurnerFuneralHomes.