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Elra Sue (Turner) Randall was welcomed into the loving arms of her parents, Gene and Ann Turner, in Delta, Colorado on July 9, 1956. Their tight-knit family was completed three years later when Jackie was born. Elra and Jackie were best fiends and enjoyed many childhood adventures together: camping, riding horses, singing, and playing music. Elra grew up in Colorado and attended school in Olathe and Nucla, graduating in 1974. That same year, Elra moved with her family to Vici, Oklahoma, where she was involved with the family beekeeping and carpentry businesses.
After several years of courtship, Elra finally settled down and married the love of her life, Donnie Randall, on June 5, 1983. To this happy union, two children were born: Mark and Molly. She enjoyed every second of being a wife and mother, and made it her top priority to let her family know how much she loved and adored them. Elra was a pure soul with a servant heart, always putting others’ needs above her own.
Elra was blessed with many creative talents, including playing multiple musical instruments, singing, and songwriting. She combined her most prized treasures—her faith, her family, her friends—through her gift of music. She spent many hours deep in prayer, growing closer to God, and she expressed that relationship through song. She shared her talents by giving many children music lessons and recording her songs for others to enjoy. The most recent culmination of her creativity was the album Songs for Him, a compilation of gospel songs she’d written and recorded with her family. Her talents were requested for many weddings, funerals, and other events. She invested countless hours imparting her musical knowledge to her children and delighted in the joy it brought to their lives. The family enjoyed attending bluegrass festivals and spending time with their jamming buddies. Her talents were showcased as a member of the Gospel Lights and the Family Circle Band; she and Jackie were the creative forces behind the Prairie Pickers; and she was the musical director for the Great Western Opry. Elra’s innovative mind did not stop with music; she developed fun games, crazy costumes, and entertaining characters. Her sense of humor and quick wit kept her family captivated and laughing. We will forever cherish her clever quips, her marvelous songs, and her charismatic personality.
Elra was deeply spiritual, a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, and was an active member in the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn. She strove each day to exude Christ, always showing love and kindness to those she was around and about. Her life reflects the time she spent seeking that still small voice, and her music captures the love she had for God. She was very hospitable and enjoyed hosting New Years parties, music jams, family, friends, and brethren. Elra had the kindest heart and was always willing to listen to a friend in need. Her caring nature and sweet countenance was admired by all who knew her. She was a beautiful person in every way.
Elra is preceded in death by her dad, Gene Turner; sister, Jackie Boedecker; and her family, Harvey and Irene Randall, Deana and Leland McLain, Clyde Gregory, Garvin Morris, and Cecil and Connie Randall.
She is survived by her husband, Donnie Randall; son, Mark Randall; daughter, Molly Gardner and husband Brett; mother, Ann Turner; brother-in-law, Melvin Boedecker and wife Sonja; sisters-in-law, Inez Gregory and Virgie Morris; many wonderful nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles; and a host of friends and loved ones.
Memorials may be made to the Vici Church of the Firstborn in care of Shaw Funeral Home, P.O. Box 276, Vici, OK 73859.
Funeral Service Sunday, November 01, 2020 3:00 PM General Assembly & Church of the Firstborn Vici, OK 73859
Burial following service at Sunnyside Cemetery Vici, OK.
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