Anna May (Bushman) Collyar

Submitted by: Margaret E. Haynes

Biography written © by: Margaret E. Haynes

Anna May Bushman was born February 5, 1896 in Dexter, Cowley Co., Kansas. She was the daughter of John Henry Bushman and Rachel (Billbe) Bushman.

Anna May Bushman was married on July 3, 1914 in Collinsville, Tulsa Co., Oklahoma, to Earl Edward Collyar, the son of Charles Newton Collyar and Myrtle E. (Splane) Collyar. Anna May and Earl Collyar moved to Blackwell, Kay Co., Oklahoma in 1916 where they lived many years. Anna May and Earl Edward Collyar had seven children: Velva Marie, Charles Henry "Chalk", Cloren Mark, Clarence Albert "Tuff", Lorene Maude, Richard Keith "Rick", and Robert Collyar.

This submitter was told several stories of Anna's loving and caring nature, and that everyone was always welcome at her home. In 1918 World War One was being fought. At the time Anna and Earl had only been married four years and they had a two year old baby. Anna's husband's brother Claude Collyar was in the Army and during that time he became very ill with pneumonia and the after effects of that illness would affect him for the rest of his life. And in April 1918 tragedy struck the family of Anna's brother-in-law, Harry Collyar, when Harry's young wife Eunice died, leaving three small children. Harry brought his little daughter Mary Louise Collyar to stay with Anna and Earl. They took Mary in and cared for her. The following year, a relative from Kansas came for Mary and took her to live with her maternal grandparents, Elza and Anna Sargent in Chanute, Kansas. And just a couple months later in the year 1918, Anna's mother would suffer a fatal accident at the age of forty-two, leaving several young children. It was a terrible time for this family.

Anna's father had worked in the zinc smelters and had moved his family about to find work. And they moved to Blackwell, and some of her brothers and brothers-in-law worked in the smelter too. Her husband's Collyar family also worked in the smelters. They worked in smelters, most often zinc smelters. Many worked in the days when there were few safety devices. Even in later days, the production created great heat and fumes the men worked in. Anna's husband, Earl, became disabled after an accident at work.

Anna and Earl celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1964, and there was a large get-together of the family and relatives and a good time was enjoyed by everyone. Cloren's wife told me about making chicken and noodles for over a hundred people. Barbara, daughter of Velva, has a centerpiece from her grandparents anniversary party.

Their niece, Mary Louise (Collyar) Manion and husband Jack Manion took Anna and Earl to California with them in the 1950's when Mary and Jack went to see their son, Vernon, while he was in the Navy. Earl and Anna visited their sons, Chalk and Rick who lived in California.

Children of Anna and Earl Collyar: Their daughter Velva (Collyar) Mitchell died as a young mother and is buried in Blackwell Cemetery. Their daughter Lorene (Collyar) Brower is buried in Pennsylvania. Their son, Cloren Collyar, served in the U.S. Army in WWII, died in 1988 and was buried in the National Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona. Their son Richard "Rick" Collyar served in the U.S. Navy during Korean War, he died in California and was buried in Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California. Anna and Earl's son Charles "Chalk" Collyar and wife are buried in Winters Cemetery, Yolo Co., California. Their son Clarence A. Collyar, served in the Navy in WWII in the Pacific and during the Korean War, and lives in Texas. Their son Robert Collyar is the youngest child and lives in Oklahoma.

Blacwell Oklahoma Newspaper, March 1978

Arrangements are pending for Mrs. Anna May Collyar, 805 South Eighth, who died at 11:10 p.m. Thursday at the Blackwell General Hospital. She was 82.

Mrs. Collyar and her husband, the late Earl Collyar, came to Blackwell in 1916 after their marriage July 3, 1914 in Collinsville. She was born Feb. 5, 1896 in Dexter, Kansas and was a member of the Church of Christ

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by one daughter Velva.

Survivors are one daughter, Mrs. Lorene Brower, McClure, PA; five sons, Charles of Winters, Calif.; Clarence of Blackwell, Cloren of Apache Junction, Ariz., Richard of Long Beach, Calif., and Robert of Arkansas City, Kansas; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Also two sisters, Mrs. Louise (Bushman) Mitchell of Tonkawa and Mrs. Wilma (Bushman) Love of Ponca City; and five brothers, Frank Bushman of Blackwell, Dan Bushman of Ava, Missouri, Bob Bushman of Henryetta, Okla., Jim Bushman of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Herschel Bushman of New Mexico.

Roberts and Son Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.

(Anna May Collyar was buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Blackwell, Kay Co. Oklahoma)