Caroline Nixon Linehan died peacefully in her Stillwater, Oklahoma home on December 21, 2025, at the age of 86. Caroline was reared in Anadarko, Oklahoma, by her parents Mary and Albin Nixon and was very active in her faith and the Methodist Church. Following graduation from Anadarko High School in 1957, she attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) where she met her future husband, John. Upon their graduation in 1961, Caroline and John married and spent the following six years at U.S. Army facilities in California, Europe, and Texas. It was during this time that Caroline and John had their first two children, Mark and Cathy. Following completion of John's military service they relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma for John's job and had their third child, Doug. Caroline, John, and the children then moved to the Los Angeles area for John's job and spent the next ten years in southern California. While in southern California, Caroline became a volunteer advocate for the welfare of abused children and was recognized by the Los Angeles County Board of Education with the Educator Medallion Award and by the Southern California YWCA with the South Bay Woman of the Year Merit Award.


Between the time she and John returned to Oklahoma in 1985 and until her retirement in 2005, Caroline traveled to virtually every school district in Oklahoma and to church groups and civic organizations, continuing to bring awareness of children's physical and sexual abuse. For her tireless efforts, Caroline was recognized with the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy's Individual Volunteer Award. She also served on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse and the Child Abuse Responsive and Evaluation Center.


Although always advocating for the rights and well-being of children, Caroline's passion for her own three children was always evident. She was a wonderful mother, always focused on her children's education and ensuring that her children grew up in a loving home.


In 2003, Caroline was inducted into the OSU Alumni Hall of Fame as well as the OSU College of Education Hall of Fame. Caroline loved all things OSU, was very proud of her university and loved attending all OSU athletic events.


Caroline is preceded in death by her parents, Albin and Mary Nixon, and her sister, Catherine who died in 1950 of polio. She leaves behind John, her husband of 64 years, her children, Mark and wife, Kim (Santa Barbara, California), Cathy (Kansas City, Missouri), Doug and wife, Madeline (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), grandchildren, Haylee, Brenna, Allie, Megan, John, Samantha, Erin, Patrick, Matthew and Maddi as well as great-grandchildren, Remy, Finnley, Parker, Josie, Rory and Miles.


Caroline will be remembered as a wonderful woman who had a strong faith, an unconditional love for her husband and family and a perpetual joy for life. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:30pm on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at the Oklahoma State University Alumni Center with a reception following. Dress is business casual with a hint of orange. Parking will be provided in the Student Union parking garage.