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Joseph Mack, Esther Frances
(Vermillion) & Elmo Carl Whitehead, Sr.
Esther Frances Whitehead was born to Mack Eber Vermillion Bessie
Mae (White) Vermillion on her family's farm north of Sayre,
Oklahoma in the Berlin community on October 28, 1922. She left
her place on earth for her heavenly home on February 22, 2014 at
the Sayre Memorial Hospital.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband; two sons; a
daughter; a grandson; her parents; six brothers and five
sisters.
She is survived by her daughters; Andrea Reed and husband, Nick,
Susan Spieker and
husband, Daniel, Melody Kiener and husband, Joe, all of Sayre,
Oklahoma and Carlene Mennen and her husband, Peter, of St.
Helena, California. Frances was blessed with 14 grandchildren;
34 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. Also
surviving is her youngest brother, Arthur Wayne Vermillion of
Seguin, Texas as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and
dearly loved friends.
Frances loved to learn and this was
the result of being allowed to visit school with her older
siblings when only three years of age. Her formal education
began with the Primer at Berlin School and ended when she
graduated as valedictorian of her class at Doxey School in 1940.
She had hoped to attend college but lacked the finances so she
walked eight miles to Sayre each day to work as a nurse's aide
at the Sayre Hospital of Fifth Street. After working there for a
year she decided to go to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone
Company for two years while her future husband served in the
Navy Seabees on Guadalcanal in the South Pacific during World
War II.
Frances married Elmo Carl Whitehead
on September 16, 1944 in Sayre following his medical discharge
from the Navy. They lived on the farm for a short time before
moving to town to begin their family. When Elmo opened an auto
body shop in Elk City they moved there for a few years, but the
farm was calling to Frances and she begged her husband to find
them a place where she could do the things she enjoyed the most.
After renting land for several years her dream was realized when
they bought a farm southwest of Sayre. There they raised their
growing family while she milked her Jersey cows, grew a garden,
planted fruit trees, canned the fruits and vegetables and sewed
clothes for her girls.
Following the death of her husband in
1973, Frances realized she needed to find a job to support
herself and her youngest daughter who was still at home. She
began working at Farm Bureau and then took a job with the U.S.
Post Office in Sayre. Frances finished her career in the Beckham
County Treasurer's office having worked there for ten years.
After her retirement she loved filling in for Loretta Hall at
the Beckham County Assessor's office and continued to do so
until she was 80 years of age.
Frances was a long time member of the
Sayre First Baptist Church where she worked in the nursery and
taught an adult women's class.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the
Baptist Children's Home, the Oklahoma Medical Research
Foundation or a charity of your choice.
Services will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at 2:00 pm at
Sayre First Baptist Church officiated by Charlie Henthorn.
Burial will be at Sayre-Doxey Cemetery under the direction of
Rose Chapel Funeral Service. Condolences can be made online at
www.whineryfs.com
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