OUR LIVES

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OUR LIVES
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How can I submit an obituary for publication?
 Obituaries include a story about the deceased and a photo. They are available to funeral homes
and the public for a charge. To submit a paid obituary, ill out our online form. If you have any questions about paid obituaries with online guest books, please call the Tulsa World Obituary Desk at
918-581-8503.
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In an efort to honor those who have donated either organs, eyes or tissue, the Tulsa World is participating in the “Circle of Life” campaign sponsored by the Global Organization for Organ Donation
(GOOD). If your loved one was a donor, please inform the funeral director if you would like to have the
“Circle of Life” logo placed in his or her listing.
Death notices are free and include basic information about the deceased: the person’s name, age, occupation, place of death and service information. They are available only to
funeral homes. Funeral homes can submit death notices by e-mail to obits@tulsaworld.com, by fax at 918-581-8353 until 8 p.m. daily or by phone at 918-581-8347 from 4 to 8 p.m.
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Moore's Southlawn
Circle of Life
How can I submit a death notice for publication? Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3
p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday.
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Sign the guest book attached to each obituary, watch online memorials
created by family members and search the obituary archive.
www.tulsaworld.com/ourlives
OBITUARIES
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TULSA
Vennettea Bounds Thomas
|
Vennettea Bounds Thomas
made her transition on October 2,
2013. She was born July 22, 1920
to Lorena and John Thompson
in Pauls Valley, OK. Vennettea
married John H. Bounds and together they raised four daughters in Tulsa, OK. Their family was the center of their lives.
Vennettea and John were
charter members of Northern Heights Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) founded
in 1953. Vennettea served as pianist for
many years. After raising their girls and
moving “back to the farm”, Vennettea
worked as a secretary in her church, First
Christian Church in Tahlequah and later
as secretary at Tahlequah High School.
Upon the passing of John, Vennettea
married Bill Thomas of Tahlequah. They
were fortunate to enjoy good health
for several years traveling the country
in a motor home before settling down
in Grove, OK. After Bill’s death, Vennettea moved to Tulsa to be near her girls.
Vennettea is survived by: her sister, Julia
Baker; four daughters and their husbands,
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Moore's Southlawn
Lorena and Don Hickman, V.C.
and Jerry Garrett, Mary Ann and
Jerry Dodson, and Amanda (Suzy)
and Ken Jones. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Donald Hickman, Jean Dyer, Kelley
Staford, Steve Garrett, Brent Garrett, Jef Murry, Suzanne Wright,
Elaine O’Gorman, Christy Emig,
Kendall Burleson, Kim Jones,
Leslie Kazadi and Shaun Jones;
along with sixteen great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Vennettea’s extended family includes
Bill Thomas’ three sons, Royce, David and
Mike; their spouses; eight grandchildren
and twenty-seven great-grandchildren.
Her daughters cannot begin to express
the gratitude they feel for the love and caring their mother received from Go Ye Village medical center staf in Tahlequah.
We will miss you, Mom. Memorial Service
will be 11:00 A.M., Monday, October 7, 2013,
at Unity Church of Christianity. Moore’s
Southlawn 918-663-2233. Share memories at
www.moorefuneral.com
Mattie “Sue” DeGeer, loving
wife, mother and friend passed
to be with the Lord on Thursday,
October 3, 2013. Sue was born
January 5, 1928, Broken Arrow,
OK, to Judson and Myrtle (Hammontree) Lanier. After graduating high school, Sue attended
Draughon School of Business. She
married Jabe “Jay” De Geer, July 8,
1948, and used her business skills
to work with her husband in their
family owned music store. Later,
Sue worked in management of the City of
Tulsa Water and Sewer customer service
department. Sue and Jay are long time
members of Yale Avenue Christian Church.
Sue is survived by: her husband, Jay; son
and daughter-in-law, Scott and Debbie DeGeer, Tulsa, OK; daughter, Sharolyn Sorrels, Tulsa, OK; 3 granddaughters, Melissa
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Kennedy-Kennard Funeral
Tucker Jay
Keeling
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|
Tucker Jay Keeling,
45, of Tulsa, Oklahoma
passed away on September 30, 2013 at his
home after a long battle
with ALS. A memorial
service will be held October 7, 2013 at 2pm at
Asbury United Methodist Church (Mason Chapel), Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Tucker was born March
11, 1968 in Calgary, Canada to Vella and Jerry Keeling. He moved with his
family to Enid, Oklahoma
in 1973 where he attended school and graduated
from Enid High School
in 1986. He continued his
education at Oklahoma
State University. Tucker
spent many years working
in Las Vegas as a blackjack dealer but moved to
Tulsa in 2002 to be closer
to family. Even during his
illness, Tucker’s zest for
life was infectious. He
enjoyed football, traveling and spending time
with friends and family. Tucker is survived by:
parents, Vella and Jerry
Keeling of Tulsa; his sister, Tina Winzeler and
husband, Doug of Oklahoma City; his brother,
Terry Keeling and wife,
Jennifer of Tulsa; sons
Jeremy
and
Chase;
four nephews; three
nieces and best friend,
Darren
Froemming.
In lieu of flowers, contributions
benefitting
Tucker’s sons can be made
to “The Tucker Keeling
Memorial Fund” account
at Bank of Oklahoma.
Kennedy-Kennard
Funeral & Cremation, Broken Arrow, OK, 918-2515331,Kennedycares.com
Allan, Janice L., 68, homemaker,
died Wednesday. Visitation
5-7 p.m. Sunday and service 10 a.m. Monday, both
at Ninde Brookside Funeral
Home.
Barter, Lillie, 93, homemaker,
died Thursday. Services pending. Moore’s Rosewood.
Boone, Kenneth Jr., 48, died
Thursday. Services pending.
Jack’s.
Brown, Joe D., 62, veteran, died
Sept. 28. Visitation 3-6 p.m.
Sunday and service 10 a.m.
Monday, both at Dyer Funeral
Home.
Channell, Halbert Bailey, 89,
lumber company manager,
died Thursday. Memorial
service 11 a.m. Monday, Smith
Funeral Home Chapel,
Sapulpa.
Connors, Nita, 90, retired
Tulsa World receptionist, died
Thursday. Visitation 6-8 p.m.
Tuesday, Moore’s Southlawn
Funeral Home, and memorial
service 11 a.m. Wednesday,
Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.
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Mattie "Sue" DeGeer
|
Berlien, her husband, Adam, Ft
Wayne, Indiana, Kimberly Sorrels,
Tulsa, OK, Erin DeGeer, Tulsa,
OK; 2 great-grandsons, Mason
and Daniel Berlien. Also survived by brother, Donald Lanier;
his wife, Bobbie, Oklahoma City,
OK. Sue was preceded in death by
her parents and brother, Bill Lanier and sister, Dorothy McBeath.
In lieu of flowers, friends may
contribute the Alzheimer’s Association, 2448 East 81st Street, Ste
3000, Tulsa, OK 74137. Visitation 2-4, Sunday,
October 6, 2013, Moore’s Southlawn Chapel. Service 1 p.m., Monday, October 7, 2013,
Moore’s Southlawn Chapel. Interment Park
Grove Cemetery, Broken Arrow, OK. Moore’s
Southlawn 918-663-2233. Share memories at
www.moorefuneral.com
Funds set up for family of girls killed in crash
internal injuries. She has been
discharged from the hospital, a
spokeswoman said.
Hailey was a fourth-grader
and Hannah a irst-grader at
Oologah-Talala Public Schools,
Superintendent Rob Armstrong
said.
People who want to help
the girls’ family can donate
to the Hailey and Hannah
Benham Memorial Fund, c/o
Arvest Bank, 108 N. Maple St.,
Nowata, OK 74048, or to the
Natalie Benham Support Trust,
c/o Bank of the Lakes, 105 N.
Elm St., Oologah, OK 74053.
Also, a beneit spaghetti
dinner is slated from 5 to 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 at the Oologah-Talala
High School main cafeteria.
— FROM STAFF REPORTS
Memorial funds have been
established for the family of
two sisters who were killed
Monday in a vehicle-train collision in Nowata County.
Hailey Marie Benham, 9,
and Hannah Daniel Benham,
6, of Nowata died when the
SUV in which they were riding
was struck by a train south of
Nowata on Nowata County
Road 28 just east of U.S. 169,
the Oklahoma Highway Patrol
reported.
The girls’ mother, Natalie
Benham, failed to yield at the
railroad crossing, and her SUV
was struck by the southbound
train, troopers said.
Natalie Benham, 28, was
admitted to St. John Medical
Center in Tulsa with leg and
View daily obituaries,
death notices & memorials at
tulsaworld.com/ourlives
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DEATH NOTICES
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BIRTHS
(Tulsans unless indicated)
OSU Medical Center
Monica Gonzales, boy.
Deneka and Mario Rollins, boy.
Holly Sherwin and Garth
Harper, boy.
Peggy V. Helmerich Women’s
Health Center
Rochelle Battiest and Kerreyeh
Harrison Sr., boy.
Alesha and Trace Helm, Big
Cabin, girl.
Sara Kisler and Haydn Leach,
girl.
Amber Pickens and Jesse Miles,
Sand Springs, girl.
Keara Washington, boy.
Saint Francis Hospital
Leah Allen and Adam Petitt,
Sapulpa, boy.
Shelly and Matt Barnard, boy.
Stephanie Brown and Adam
Bear, Henryetta, boy.
April and James Mitchell, girl.
Jessica Starr and Patrick Parrick,
girl.
Valerie Thornton and Lance
Brown, girl.
Danielle and Marko Williams,
boy.
Marian Williams and Sean
Marshall, boy.
Saint Francis Hospital South
Shaina Burklow and Vincent
Watkins, Broken Arrow, boy.
Stacie and William Chalakee,
boy.
Stephanie Cline and Cody Robinson, Broken Arrow, boy.
Elena and Jefrey Jones, Broken
Arrow, boy.
Dim Kiim and Go Mang, boy.
Megan and Brandon Kramer,
girl.
Rebecca Lambert and Justin
Hill, Broken Arrow, boy.
Vickie and Jef Lease, Jenks,
boy.
Lindsey McKinder and Johnny
Mobley, girl.
Kori and Regan Saunders, Broken Arrow, girl.
DeGeer, Mattie Sue, 85, city
of Tulsa customer service
representative, died Thursday.
Visitation 2-6 p.m. Sunday
and service 1 p.m. Monday,
both at Moore’s Southlawn
Funeral Home.
Fitzerman, Ethel Boone, 89,
died Friday. Service 2 p.m.
Sunday, B’Nai Emunah Synagogue. Fitzgerald Ivy.
Isaacson, Margaret L., 86,
homemaker, died Friday. Services pending. Freeman Harris.
McIntyre, Bertha, 97, retired
Tulsa Public Schools teacher,
died Thursday. Services pending. Jack’s.
Pilgrim, Marye L., 83, loral
designer, died Thursday. Visitation 2-4 p.m. Sunday and
service 10 a.m. Monday, both
Floral Haven Funeral Home,
Broken Arrow.
Roberts, Max L., 86, Midwestern Tile & Linoleum owner,
died Thursday. Service 11 a.m.
Monday, Moore’s Southlawn
Funeral Home Chapel.
Sears, Patricia Louise, 67, Saint
Francis Hospital respiratory
therapist, died Wednesday.
Services pending. Jack’s.
Ashley and Christopher Shipman, girl.
St. John Medical Center
Dana and Andy Dawson, boy.
Brandy and Christopher Holbert, Broken Arrow, girl.
Sheramy and Matthew Horton,
Glenpool, girl.
Stephanie and Ryan Ragsdale,
Jenks, girl.
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MARRIAGES
(Tulsans unless indicated)
Ann Almeida, 22, of Broken Arrow; Ben Scott, 25.
Alicia Aragon Vasquez, 62;
Juan Reyes Gonzalez, 58, of
Broken Arrow.
Laura Brown, 44; Wayne Hale,
44.
Sarah Crain, 34; Kevin Mayield,
46.
Kristi Davis, 41; Jefrey Ostler,
42.
Heather Fick, 29; Michael
O’Sullivan, 31, both of Topeka, Kan.
Erika Gilbertson, 28; Matthew
Sander, 28, both of Glenpool.
Candra Hendricks, 28; John
Talley, 36, both of Englewood,
Colo.
Laura Jervis, 25; Thomas Hooks,
32.
Tisha Keller, 37; Eric Stevens,
28, both of Valles Mines, Mo.
Candice Kinsey, 29; Brandon
Kelsey, 27.
Alyssa Lenning, 23; Nathan
Van Becelaere, 26, both of
Mounds.
Jadonn Macoy, 30; Josh Gentry,
26.
Sharee Madrid, 31; Jimmy Dearman, 34.
Elisa Mangesho, 37; Perpetra
Otee, 39.
Tamia Moore, 23; Keenon
Mason, 22.
Morgan Mullins, 19; Taylor
Alumbaugh, 20.
Rabecca Peters-Herndon, 16;
Agustin Gonzalez, 18.
Ashley Ramsey, 30; Riley Howard, 35.
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Strickland, Steve, 65, died
Thursday. Services pending.
Mark Griith-Westwood.
Thomas, Mark Roland, 63,
musician, died Thursday in
Skiatook. Private family services. Kennedy-Midtown.
Thompson, Mary Jo, 77, homemaker, died Friday. Services
pending. Kennedy-Midtown.
Williams, Joey Lamar-Devonn
“Pooh,” 27, Walmart employee, died Tuesday. Visitation
3-6 p.m. Sunday, Dyer Funeral
Home, and service 11 a.m.
Monday, St. Paul AMEChurch.
STATE/AREA
Funeral home, church and
cemetery locations are in the city
under which the death notice is
listed unless otherwise noted.
Arkoma — Mary “Joyce”
Brendle, 75, homemaker, died
Wednesday. Visitation 1-8
p.m. Sunday, Grace Manor
Funeral Home, Poteau, and
graveside service 2 p.m. Monday, Milton Cemetery, Milton.
SEE DEATH NOTICES A17
Mikelynn Reed, 25; Shane
Vernon, 28, both of Broken
Arrow.
Natalie Rider, 30; Darrell Scott,
31, of Glenpool.
Laura Rife, 22; Owen Hawbaker, 22.
Priscilla Sizemore, 33; Donovan
Smith, 34, both of Denver.
Crystal Solis, 18; Sander Lopez
Mendoza, 27.
Sarah Sullivan, 32; Tyler Davidson, 31, both of Owasso.
Kaylea Swaggerty, 26; Shadee
Eid, 35, both of Broken Arrow.
Latara Tomlin, 37; Antonio McGlothin, 40, of Edmond.
Lace Weddle, 30; Brettley
Rhoades Jr., 24.
Ashley Werner, 26; John Conlon, 29, both of Jenks.
Julie Westfall, 26; Jesse Meyer,
27.
Mikaela Wild, 23, of Broken Arrow; Andrew Smith, 24.
Shelly Williams, 40; William
Booth, 40.
Kayla Zahrt, 23; Walter Davis,
23.
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DIVORCES
ASKED
Bergman, Kristen v. Sean Griin.
Bright, Pamela v. David Gill.
Brucker, Darlene v. Brian.
Campbell, Talia v. Kevin.
Carter, Lisa v. James.
Castaneda, Glenda v. Juan.
Doyal, Katrina v. Melvin Jr.
Grace, Deborah v. Brian.
Guynn, Shannon v. Wendy
Greenhaw.
Henderson, Shikima v. Jamil
Darling.
Jestice, Lee v. Angela Temple.
McElhaney, Rebecca v. Kevin.
Pruitt, Donnie v. Jane.
Radford, Brian v. Stacy.
GRANTED
Dellegar, Susan from Shawn.
Head, Jessica from Robert.
Soetaert, Debra from Michael.
Sorrels, Julie from Branden.
Zuyus, Jennifer from Peter Jr.
90-year-old insisted on writing her own obituary
BY CHRISTINA MITCHELL
The (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Courier-Post
When Virginia “Ginny”
Hicks irst consulted with
funeral
director
Leroy
Wooster in 2008, she was
irm about announcing her
eventual exit.
No viewing. No service.
“And I want to write my
own obituary,” the Atco, N.J.,
mother of three sons told
Wooster.
She did.
According to her middle
son, Jon, all Wooster had to
do was correct some of the
wording for publication in
Sunday’s Courier-Post.
The 90-year-old read the
paper daily, including the
morning last week when she
slumped in her chair and
died during breakfast at a
Voorhees, N.J., nursing facility.
Two broken hips had taken their toll, but what really
took the wind from Ginny
Hicks’ sails was the 2001
death of her soul mate, William “Bill” Hicks.
Married 57 years, they had
friends all over the country
and spent six months every
winter in Puerto Vallarta,
Mexico.
I, Virginia Mattison Hicks
decided to write my own
obituary. I lost my wonderful
husband Bill Hicks after 57
years together. I am at a lost
(sic) ever since.
A union carpenter Ginny
met at a local dance, Bill
Hicks built the Haddon
Township homes where they
raised their three sons.
Ginny was a longtime
waitress — mostly at Westmont’s old Compton’s Log
Cabin — who kept an immaculate house and constantly
told her sons to take their
shoes of when they came in
the door.
The couple traveled often
and lived for a while in Atco,
N.J., before Bill died of Alzheimer’s, leaving Ginny bereft and lonely.
“They were always together,” recalls 58-year-old Jon,
who also lives in town. “I really thought they would die
together.”
When Bill Hicks went, it
also was without the ritualistic fanfare of a funeral.
“We just followed their
wishes,” Jon’s wife, Cathy,
says of her in-laws, whom
she called Ma and Pa Hicks.
“She (Ginny) would always say, ‘You don’t have
to do anything. It’s already
done.’
“To me it’s closure,” Cathy
adds. “It’s not about us. … It’s
about their wishes.”
But Bill Hicks didn’t write
his own obituary; Ginny did.
So it was no surprise to the
family when Wooster read
them her self-written notice,
including this:
“Fortunately, I have 3 wonderful sons, William Mattison Hicks, Jon Thomas Hicks
and Charles Hicks. Their
wives are more precious to
me than words can say, Carol
and Cathy. I am so fortunate
to have 7 grandchildren, Bill
Hicks Rutherford, Jennifer
Hicks Rutherford, Sharon
Hicks, Holly Anne Hicks,
Katie Hicks, Kyle C. Hicks
and LCpl Jon T. Hicks, Jr.
who was killed in the line of
duty in Iraq.”
Jon’s Marine son and
namesake lost his life in
2007 in an IED explosion.
His grandmother was devastated.
The ending has an ending.
“I thank God for a wonderful
life, my sweetheart and the
life that we had together. I
was the most fortunate person in the World. Thank you
God. Thank you my family.”
“We shared a lot,” Cathy
recalls of her mother-in-law.
“She was very easy to talk
to.”
She also was feisty, chatty
and — by her own admission
— outspoken.
Although friends around
the country dubbed her
“Jersey Ginny,” she also was
known to refer to herself as
“Big-mouth Ginny,” says her
son.
Consider this, from the
obituary:
“There will be no viewing, no funeral services. You
should have all visited me
with kind attention when
I needed you to put a smile
on my face and love in my
heart.”
Jon Hicks says that last
sentence was his mother’s
gentle way of reminding
her family a few more visits
while she was alive wouldn’t
have hurt.
“She was outspoken in a
joking way,” is how he sees it.
Ginny Hicks also kept a
daily journal to sharpen her
memory. She made her last
entry the day her body failed,
Sept. 26.
“Another day today,” she
wrote, just before heading to
breakfast and a quick, painless death.
“Let us see what is in store
for me.”