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Francene Elaine Eagle BigGoose © Tahlequah Daily Press 05-2006 Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
PONCA CITY - Francene Elaine Eagle BigGoose , longtime minister in the Ponca City area, passed away Wednesday, May 3, 2006, at her home. She was 75 years of age.
Prayer services will be held Friday and Saturday evenings at the Ponca Indian United Methodist Church, with the traditional noon meal served Sunday, May 7, followed by the funeral at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Ponca Tribal Cemetery at White Eagle under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.
Francene was born Oct. 29, 1930, in Ponca City, the daughter of McKinley Horse Chief Eagle and Lucina Roy Eagle. She was given the name Thi'i'xide'wi and was a member of the Blood Clan. She was a 1949 graduate of the Haskell Institute of Lawrence, Kan., then attending Oklahoma A&M; College and graduating from Southern Methodist University in 1988. Francene enlisted in the Women's Army Corps in 1950 and was honorably discharged in 1952. She was married to Rev. Levi BigGoose on March 13, 1958, in Ponca City.
Francene began her ministry in 1982 and became an ordained elder in 1991. She had served at many Indian Methodist churches that included Locust Grove, Clinton, Thomas, Carnegie, El Reno and her latest, the Ponca Indian United Methodist Church. She served as conference treasurer for the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference from 1996-1998.
She was selected as class speaker and student council representative at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She also served as the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference delegate to the general conference of the United Methodist Churches held in St. Louis in 1988. She had retired from the ministry in 1997, but continued to serve beyond her retirement years.
Throughout her years, she was employed at various jobs that included physical therapist assistant, bookkeeper, Conoco, Ponca City Hospital and the Internal Revenue Service. She was a member of the Ponca Indian United Methodist Church and the Kiowa Tia-Piah Society. Her enjoyments included church activities, singing and attending traditional events.
She is survived by eight children, Sarah Chapman of Weatherford, Carol Pekah and husband Michael, of Weatherford, Harold King and wife Iva, of Ponca City, Leota Judith White and husband James, of Tahlequah, Sophia BigGoose of Weatherford, Nancy BigGoose of Ponca City, Eugene BigGoose of Ponca City and Eugenia BigGoose , of the home; three brothers, Douglas Eagle Sr., of Ponca City, Wilkie D. Eagle Sr., of Marland, and Lester M. Eagle of Tulsa; 24 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; five adopted sons, Rev. Mike Harjo, Ransel Rhoads, Dwight White Buffalo, Jake Reynolds and Levi Spotted Corn; and one adopted brother, Rev. Jerry Baker.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Rev. Levi BigGoose , on Jan. 11, 1982; one brother, Hiawatha Eagle; one sister, Marlene Eagle Rhodd; and two grandchildren, Joseph V. Little Jr. and Carol Ann Little.
Grace Memorial Chapel, 2016 N. 14th St., Ponca City, (580) 762-2464.
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