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Carol Strawderman died of a sudden heart attack on Wednesday, January 12, 2005 at her home in Los Lunas, NM. Carol retired from the Los Lunas School district in 2004 after serving as a Diagnostician for several years. Carol was born on February 2, 1938 in Ardmore, OK. During her youth she moved with her parents, Bill and Marguerite McCalib to various towns in Texas and Oklahoma where her father worked for the Chamber of Commerce and her mother taught school. Carol attended North Texas State University and earned her Bachelor's Degree in English. She married Lieutenant Stuart Wright in 1960 and almost immediately the newlyweds moved to West Germany for a 3-year Army tour. Although Carol got to travel a great deal in Europe she also found time to give birth to daughters, Barbara and Rebecca. Upon return to the US the couple was stationed at Fort Sill, OK where their son, David was born. After two more tours they moved to Fort Leavenworth, KS where Carol stayed with the kids and earned her Master's Degree in Deaf Education while her husband was in Vietnam. Carol and her family went to Germany again in 1972 where she learned to speak German and also taught in the US Army school system. Their final Army posting was in Albuquerque, NM, where Carol started a new career in real estate. Stuart and Carol were divorced in 1977. Carol married Len Strawderman on January 1, 1978 and they were the owners of the C&H Reality Company in Albuquerque. Carol returned to her first love of teaching deaf students at Del Norte HS and earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from UNM. They moved to Lubbock where Carol taught at Texas Tech for 6 years. But both of them always loved New Mexico and soon returned and built a beautiful pueblo style house in Los Lunas. Carol worked for the Los Lunas school district in many different Administrative and Special Education positions and has touched the lives of many teachers, colleagues and students. Although she retired she still worked as a Diagnostician 4 days a week. She also was a dedicated member of Peralta Methodist Church where she played the piano and sang in the choir. On the weekends she loved going camping and this past summer spent 3 weeks touring the west and helping her son build his house in Snohomish, WA. Carol's other passions included quilting and creating beautiful things with her hands. It was the joy of giving her creations that made her the happiest. Carol is survived by her husband, Leonard Strawderman; her mother, Marguerite McCalib; her brothers, John, David, and Paul McCalib; her daughters, Barbara Wright and Rebecca Beeson; her son, David Wright; and her recent grandchildren, Noah and Cheyanna Beeson, as well as Elissa, Eileen, Fiona, and Felicia Hennessy. Services will begin with a viewing on Sunday, January 16, 2005 at 1:30 p.m. at Romero Funeral Home Chapel. A final visitation will be held at Peralta Memorial United Methodist Church, 25 Wesley Rd. in Peralta, NM, on Monday, January 17, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 10:00 a.m. Pallbearers will be Don Carter, Joe Dunagan, Dayle Eager, Bill Schattschneider, Michael Ogas, and Art Castillo. The Honorary Pallbearers are Howard Ross, Conrad Hughes, Roy Carson, and Walter Timmons. Romero Funeral Home 609 N. Main St.
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