Carey Buckhalter, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully at home on May 18, 2025, following a long and courageous battle with illness.

Carey was born on July 14, 1953, in Lawton, Oklahoma to Lester and Leona Shipman. Carey was the youngest of three daughters. Her father, who was blind, and her mother, a full-time homemaker, relied on Carey's compassionate and nurturing care from an early age. Throughout their lives, she cared for them with unwavering love and joy-roles she embraced wholeheartedly.

At just 17, Carey began working at the Lawton Post Office through a program for low-income students to help fund her education. When the program ended two years later, she was offered a full-time position-a testament to her work ethic and reliability. She could recite from memory the zip code of any obscure Oklahoma town, a party trick she carried throughout her life.

Carey attended Cameron University for three years before transitioning from the Post Office to a Civil Service role at Fort Sill in 1976. She married Richard Freeman, and together they welcomed two beloved children: Matthew in 1981 and Kelly in 1984.

Over the years, Carey served in several key positions at Fort Sill, including the Finance and Accounting Office and the Counterfire/Target Acquisition Department. In 1991, she was selected by General (Ret.) Tommy Franks to serve as his secretary in the Assistant Commandant's Office at the Field Artillery School-a position she held with pride and dedication for the remainder of her career. She faithfully served under 14 Assistant Commandants, earning a reputation for her steady presence, integrity, and commitment to excellence. Carey retired in 2011 after 40 years of faithful civil service.

In 1995, Carey married the love of her life, Skip Buckhalter, and proudly embraced the role of Marine wife. Her home and heart were always open-not just to her own children and stepchildren, but also to their friends and the many young soldiers who passed through her office. A natural caretaker, Carey was a "mom" to many.

She found joy in life's simple pleasures: spending time with her children and grandchildren, sharing Mexican food with Skip, and relaxing on her patio in Elgin with her signature Fresca-rita in hand. Carey was a master of sweet-talking, skillfully dodging more speeding tickets than most people rack up in miles-armed with nothing but a smile and a little charm. She could sniff out a good deal at TJ Maxx from miles away and is considered one of the premier financial supporters of Target throughout history. She loved to laugh, cherished her friendships, and was above all a woman of integrity and goodness.

Carey is survived by her husband, Skip Buckhalter; her children Matthew (Randi) Freeman and Kelly (Jason) Hartwig; her stepchildren Paul (Sarah) Buckhalter and Christine (Chad) Callan; and her beloved grandchildren: Noah, Maebry, Ava, Hannah, Will, Reef, Kai, Ty, Isabella, C.J. and Teddy. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Leona Shipman, and her sisters, Eyvonne Simpson and Twilla Presswood.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel.

Private family interment will take place at a later date in the Fort Sill National Cemetery.

Following the service, the family invites you to join them for a meal at Central Baptist Church, located at 901 SW B Avenue, Lawton. Your presence would be an honor. If you plan to attend, please kindly RSVP by emailing Matt Freeman at freemmt@outlook.com.