Carol LaRue Brown, age 86, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, passed away on February 23, 2026.

Carol was born in Sweetwater, Texas, and went on to live a life marked by dedication to family, quiet accomplishment, and generous hospitality. She built a successful career as a computer programmer for the University of Nebraska, a role she approached with intelligence, diligence, and pride at a time when few women worked in the field.

Above all, Carol was the heart of our family. For decades, she faithfully hosted every Thanksgiving and Christmas, opening her home and creating traditions that will be cherished for generations. Her warmth, organization, and love brought family together year after year, and those gatherings remain one of her most enduring legacies.

She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Smith, and husband, Doug Smith, and their children, Calvin Smith and Campbell Smith; and by her son, Daniel Brown, and his sons, Graham Brown and Hudson Brown.

Carol was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, John Brown, and by her daughter-in-law, Susie Brown.

Carol will be remembered for her devotion to family, her steady presence, and the care she showed in both her professional life and her home. Her memory lives on in the traditions she built and the family she loved so deeply.