Courtney Leigh Grover

After a lifelong challenge with diabetes, Courtney Leigh Grover passed away at the age of 49 on February 10th, 2026. She was born on January 12th, 1977, to Robert and Marilyn Watson in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Courtney was very involved in athletics, playing varsity basketball and soccer at Tulsa Union High School. She graduated in 1995 and continued her education with a scholarship to play basketball at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Oklahoma. There, she met her future husband, Darin Richard Grover. She then transferred to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She graduated from OSU in 1999. Go Pokes! Courtney and Darin were married on December 22nd, 2001, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They were married 24 years at the time of her passing. Courtney believed her greatest accomplishment was the birth of her two wonderful children, Sydney in 2006 and Case in 2012. She began her career in education at Joplin High School in 2002. After working in Joplin for a year, she moved to Miami High School to teach and become head girls’ soccer and basketball coach. She led her team to the 2004 Oklahoma State Basketball Tournament. After brief teaching stops in Pottsboro, Texas and Dickson, Oklahoma, she found her work home at Durant Public School for the rest of her career. Over the years, Courtney impacted hundreds of students as an educator, making “the best teacher I’ve ever had” a common phrase. She flourished as a teacher in her Oklahoma State-themed classrooms, brightening days through laughter and sarcasm. Dog-petting pit stops were a must, and the neighborhood dogs always knew where to find treats. Her love of the ocean made family beach vacations non-negotiable. She loved her pool, hated rudeness, craved Tex-Mex, and dreaded the end of the Christmas season. Courtney’s passion for her dogs was legendary, believing everybody should rescue a fur-baby. Above all, her pride for her children was beyond measure. She often told Darin, “We raised two perfect kids.” This statement, while clearly exaggerated, thoroughly demonstrates the love she had for her children. Courtney is preceded in passing by her father Robert Watson and her mother-in-law Beverly Grover. She is survived by her husband, Darin Grover, and her two children, Sydney Kay Grover and Case Richard Grover. She is also survived by her mother, Marilyn Watson of Broken Arrow, OK, her two sisters, Stacie Clarke and her husband Kelly of Pryor, Oklahoma and Amy Watson Ennis and Jeffrey Gage of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Additionally, her father in-law James Grover of Miami, Oklahoma, her sister in-law Jamee Combs and her husband Tim of Inola, Oklahoma, sister in-law Dr. Kenda Grover and Dr. Tom Whiteside of Fayetteville, Arkansas, brother in-law Dr. Dustin Grover and his wife Elsie of Miami, Oklahoma, along with many nieces and nephews. The Celebration of Life for Courtney Grover will be held at a future date. Services are under the direction of Brown's Durant Funeral and Cremation Service.

Courtney Leigh Grover

January 12, 1977 - February 12, 2026