Ollie Tracy Cornelison Sides

© Cheyenne Star

28 Feb 1991

Submitted by: Wanda Purcell

Ollie Tracy Sides was born on August 4, 1903 in Cheyenne, Indian Territory and passed away February 23, 1991 in the Sayre Memorial Hospital at the age of 88 years, 6 months and 19 days.

Ollie moved with her parents, Daniel Webster and Annie Tracy, to Elk City, Oklahoma in 1908.

She attended Elk City schools before the family moved to Sayre in 1913 where she graduated from Sayre High School in 1921. She attended college at the University of Oklahoma and studied in the School of Fine Arts under the world acclaimed opera star, Joseph Benton.

She later graduated from Central State with a double degree in piano and voice, with life certificates in elementary education and music.

In 1924 she married Raymond Cornelison and taught school in Sweetwater from 1925-1926.

They moved to Norman and Ollie later taught in Rush Springs, Cyril and Erick before the famly moved to Sayre and she began a career of teaching music to Sayre students that spanned over 30 years.

On June 4, 1944 she married W. F. Sides and she was affiliated with the Sides Real Estate agency for 1 1/2 years. She returned to the classroom to teach until her retirement in 1970.

She had lived with her daughter in Greeley, Colorado since July of 1990.

Ollie returned to school and received her M.A. in music and social studies from Western State in Gunnison, Colorado. In 1962 she won a scholarship to the University of Hawaii and studied the history of Japan and subjects pertaining to the Orient. In 1965 she was voted Beckham County Teacher of the Year and was Sayre Woman of the Year.

Her most satisfying moments have been serving the Baptist church as a Sunday School teacher, pianist and organist. The latter two have been for not only the church but for weddings, funerals, school activities, beauty pageants and community events for neary 70 years. Ollie had been the Kiwanis Club pianist for 30 years and the Rotary pianist for 15 years.

Ollie has had many interests other than music. In addition to being a member of the First Baptist Church and organist, she has been WMU president and held other offices. As a member of the Eastern Star, was Worthy Matron, and president of the Past Worthy Matron Club. In Rebekah Lodge, she held offices and was Nobel Grand and President of the Past Noble Grand Club. In another fraternal club, White Shrine of Jerusalem, she was Worthy High Priestess.

In professional clubs, she was Delta Kappa Gamma president, Oklahoma Teacher's Association officer for three years and committee member of the Retired Teacher's Association. She had held offices in Self Culture Club and As You Like It, and is a fromer member of En Avant.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; one sister; one brother; two half brothers; two step daughters and one stepson.

She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Lorna B. and Marvin Shingler of Greeley, Colorado; one son and daughter-in-law, J. Raymond and Dolores Cornelison of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; one step daughter, Nettie Carmichael of Chickasha, Oklahoma; one foster daughter, Margaret Walker Hamiter and husband Bobby of Henderson, Nevada; one brother, Raymond Charles Tracy and wife Minnie of Stillwater, Oklahoma; one sister-in-law, Alice Tracy of Dallas, Texas; nine grandchildren; ten great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

Services will be Thursday, February 28, 1991 at 2:00 p.m. in the Sayre First Baptist Church with Tom Cooksey, Albert Warnken and Lynn Heard officiating. Interment will be in the Sayre-Doxey Cemetery, Sayre, Beckham County, Oklahoma under the direction of Rose Chapel Funeral Service of Sayre.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sayre First Baptist Church, Friends of the Library or American Cancer Socity.

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