Nancy Jean McCarthy Tarr was born on January 30, 1940 in Jacksonville, Florida to Helen (Lavin) and Henry McCarthy and died July 24, 2024 in Yukon, Oklahoma. She met her husband James "Jim" Tarr in the first grade, with his mother Helen Tarr as their teacher. Nancy lost both her parents by age 20 and was self-sufficient from then forward. The Tarr and McCarthy families had remained friends over time, resulting in Jim and Nancy dating in their early twenties. Returning to college after caring for her mother in her terminal illness, Nancy graduated in 1962 from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Food and Nutrition. Jim and Nancy married June 9, 1963 and moved frequently over the next five years with Jim's Air Force career. Interspersed in that time frame were two stints teaching elementary school in Green Cove Springs and Jacksonville, Florida.

Their first daughter, Margaret, was born in 1968, followed by Melissa "Lisa" in 1970. Nancy concentrated on being a full-time wife and mother through her children's childhoods, though she completed a master's degree in economics at Florida State University and taught as an adjunct professor at the Citadel, the College of Charleston, and Central State University during that period. The Tarr family moved to Edmond, Oklahoma in 1982. When her daughters were teenagers, Nancy went to work for the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Office of State Finance in several financial analyst positions, retiring in 2005.

Nancy had a full retirement life, stating at one point that she had to keep a calendar more so than in her working years. She traveled extensively in the U.S. and internationally. She created cherished memories by taking her granddaughters on trips around the country. A born teacher, she taught water aerobics at the Edmond YMCA and was pretty sure she was the oldest employee there. When she decided to downsize from the house that she and Jim built in Edmond, she moved into Spanish Cove retirement community in Yukon where she was part of the first senior dragon boat team. She also taught water aerobics and was the volunteer librarian for many years.

Nancy was predeceased by her husband, Jim; granddaughter, Jordan DeShazer; sister, Tresa O'Malley; and her parents. She is survived by her daughter, Margaret (Wayne) DeShazer; granddaughters, Taylor and Austin DeShazer; great-granddaughters, Baylee and ZoeyAnn DeShazer; daughter, Melissa (Joseph) Lange; and granddaughters, Abigail Lange and Madeleine (Brian) Bond.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Episcopal Church, City Rescue Mission or to the DeShazer-Hamm scholarship fund at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Viewing at Mercer-Adams will be Thursday, 9am-8pm. Funeral services will be held at Grace Episcopal Church (600 N. Mustang Road) in Yukon on Friday, August 2, 2024 at 2:00pm with graveside services to follow at Yukon Cemetery (660 Garth Brooks Blvd).

The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed on this obituary page.