Alfalfa County, Oklahoma

Grace Henrietta Hammerstead Burright

Friday, July 2, 2004

© Enid, OK. News & Eagle

Submitted by: Sylva Rhodes

Grace Henrietta Hammerstead Burright

Helena, OK. -- Funeral service for Grace Henrietta Burright, age 104, will be Saturday, July 3, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Helena with Rev. Robert Paine and Rev. Jay Drawbridge officiating. Burial will follow at Good Hope Cemetery located east and south of Helena on Highway 58 with arrangements by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Helena. Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.lanmanfuneralhomes.com. The family will be at the funeral home for visitation on Friday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Grace was born May 5, 1900 to Robert and Effie Hammerstead in a sod house near Helena, and died Monday, June 28, 2004 at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Enid.

She attended Englewood Country School, Connell Jr. College in Helena and Alva Normal College where she received her teaching certificate. She taught one term at Elm Flat near Cleo Springs. Then she married Frank E. Burright in Alva, OK. on September 25, 1919. They made their home in and near Cleo Springs, OK. until 1932 when they moved to the Hammerstead homestead where she was born. They raised their family of eight children, four boys and four girls on this farm.

Grace moved to Helena in 1980 residing there until after her 100th birthday when she moved to Greenbrier Village in Enid, where she resided until her death.

She accepted Christ as her Lord and Saviour on her 12th birthday. She attended various country churches before placing her membership in Helena Christian Church in 1944. In 1994 she was recognized as the oldest active member of the Helena Christian Church. Her faith has been very important to her and she credits her Lord and Saviour for sustaining her through illness and other difficulties, giving her strength for each new day. Grace was active in CWF, Bible Study, and served in other capacities in the church.

She was an avid quilter and made many quilts for her family, making the last quilt for a great-great-grandson at age 100. As a past time at age 104 she knitted dish cloths for family and friends. Grace loved both working in her flower beds and gardening, with roses being her pride and joy.

In addition to being a farmer's wife, she was a member of the Mary Jane's Extension Club. At the age of 75 she took up water painting, painting pictures for her family, then she began quilting in her early 80's. In 1984 she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Alfalfa County Historical Society. In 2002 she was named Queen of Greenbrier Nursing Home.

Grace is survived by two sons, Lloyd of Alburquerque, New Mexico and Frank Max and wife, Mary Ann of Plano, TX.; four daughters, Betty Templeton and husband Keith of Medford, OR., Patricia Hintergardt and husband Allen of Bluejacket, OK., Elaine McDanel of Enid, OK., Delores Collins and husband Ernest of Sulphur, OK.; 19 grandchildren; one step-grandchild, 30 great-grandchildren; 10 step-great-grandchildren; and 16 great-great-grandchildren; six step-great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, including Dorothy Holsten of Enid, OK. and Gladys Friedel of Tulsa, OK.

She was preceded in death by her husband Frank of 63 years who died June 5, 1983; her parents; three sisters; one brother; two sons, Robert (Bob) and Richard (Dick); one daughter-in-law; one son-in-law and three granddaughters.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Circle of Love or an organization of the donor's choice through the funeral home.

Submitted and © Sylva Rhodes