Mary Carol Biggerstaff

Mary Carol (Queen) Biggerstaff, 89, passed away on Nov. 3, 2015 at Southwest Medical Center after a short illness.She was born June 26, 1926 to Jerome and Gladys Fain in Guymon, Okla.Her whole name means “joyful song” and that is what she was to everyone who knew her, a joyful song.After 8th grade, she moved to Liberal. There, she helped her father paint and paper many of the houses in Liberal. While working for Selfridge Flowers, she met her husband, Wilbur Biggerstaff. They were married in Liberal at Miller Mortuary in 1950.Carol loved to joke and had a great sense of humor. When in her presence, laughter abounded, with sarcasm delivered with a straight face. In her later years, she gave Donetta the nickname “The Warden,” which brought even more laughter. We gave her the nickname “Queen,” which gave her a lot of laughs.The only thing Carol was known for was not her cooking, which was also a source of jokes. While growing up, the family’s Sunday night meals consisted of ice cream, cake and Jell-O. Her daughter would joke if she were ever to write a book about this wonderful woman, it would be titled Ice Cream, Cake and Jell-O.Even in her hospital room with her family and friends by her side, the laughter could be heard, with Mother telling jokes only as she could right up until her death.Carol had many interests. She was a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and when out in service, she knew where just about everyone lived. She also loved watching the birds and squirrels she fed daily.She also enjoyed reading the phone book and dictionary, working on crossword puzzles, writing poetry and watching Court TV. She also liked listening to the police on her many scanners and the last call she heard was her own.Knowing Carol was a blessing. She was such a strong and independent person. She is greatly loved and will be forever missed.She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Clifford and Irvin, sister, Mildred Bartel; two children, Carol Denise Biggerstaff and Darrell Eugene Biggerstaff. She was also preceded in death by her grandchildren, Amanda Cortinas and Michael Temple.She is survived by daughters Diane Radney and her children, Erik Cortinas and wife, Cheryl, Ramey Cortinas, Kristin and husband, Kyle Wachter, Kelly Temple and wife, Leah and eight great-grandchildren; daughter, Donetta (The Warden) and husband Chuck and her children, Nikki Phillips and husband, Daniel and great-granddaughter Marina; Stevie Bahr and husband, Nick; sisters, Rita Beth Showers and her twin, Kathleen Gerber.Thank you to all of her many friends in The Kingdom Hall for enriching Carol’s life and thank you to the great nursing staff at SWMC for their loving care for our mother Queen.At Carol’s request, a private family viewing has taken place.Condolences may be sent to the family at www.brennemanfuneralhome.com