Roberta (Puckett) Spurlin
May 2, 1923 - Dec 13, 2014
Posted by Martha Reddout

Roberta was born into the family of Jesse Blaine Puckett and Beulah B. Kready in Sayre, Oklahoma. She was their third and youngest daughter, one of seven siblings. Roberta attended Sayre Public Schools and graduated from Sayre High School in May of 1941. She was the pianist for the Boys Glee Club and played trumpet in the Sayre Band. She also was a pianist for the First Presbyterian Church of Sayre. She completed her freshman year at the University of Oklahoma before returning to Sayre. She worked at the Beckham County National Bank and First National Bank, both of Sayre, Oklahoma. During World War II, Roberta moved to New York City and worked for the Chase Manhattan Bank of New York.

On August 4, 1950 Roberta and James B. Spurlin were married at the First Presbyterian Church in Sayre. They owned and operated a Diary Maid business until they relocated to Fairview, Oklahoma in 1954 with their daughter, Judy Marie. Roberta became a stay at home mom and very active in the First United Methodist Church and UMW. She taught Sunday School in the K-Primary level for years. She served on the church board as treasurer. Her Sunday school class was a joy for her. She participated fully in her community: Member of the Beta Mothers Club, American Legion Auxiliary, Treasurer of the Hospital Foundation and KeenAgers, past President of Chapter BS, PEO. J.B. taught himself and Roberta how to play golf and they became avid golfers at the Lakeside Country Club. She enjoyed the Ladies Golf Association and served as president. She enjoyed playing with friends and in tournaments. In the summer of 1980 she won her division of the Women's Oklahoma Golf Association State Tournament.

After the death of her husband, Roberta met many new friends at the Fairview Senior Center and frequently ate lunch, played cards and visited with friends there. She also spent many happy hours listening to music and dancing with friends at the Longdale Seniors Saturday Night Dances. Playing the piano was a great source of relaxation for her and one of her daughter’s first memories is of watching her dance around the kitchen to music on the radio. Traveling with friends and family became one of her favorite things to do. She took many trips within the United States and visited Canada and Mexico as well as several countries in Europe. She had recently relocated to an assisted living facility in Austin, TX to be closer to family. She truly enjoyed reading to and watching her great grandson play, visiting with his parents, and visiting with her niece Carol Sheppard and husband, Frank and their family.

Roberta was preceded in death by her parents, her husband J.B., two sisters, Mildred and Marie; and three brothers, Ralph, Blaine and Calvin.

Those left to remember her are her brother, Artie Puckett of Sayre, her daughter, Judy Marie and her husband Richard Gervey of Spokane, WA; grandsons, Garen Gervey of Sterling, CO and Gabriel Gervey, his wife Rebecca Neubauer, and great grandson, Micah Gervey, all of Austin, TX as well as many loving nieces and nephews and many special friends. She will be greatly missed. 

Viewing will be at the Rose Chapel in Sayre, OK on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. A graveside service will be held at Sayre Doxey Cemetery, Sayre, OK at 2:00 on Thursday, December 18, 2014 officiated by Rich Redinger. Arrangements are made by the Whinery Funeral Service, Sayre, OK. A celebration of life will take place in February 2015 at the United Methodist Church, Fairview, OK. The family asks that donations be made to the American Heart Association or Arthritis Foundation in lieu of flowers.