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Robert E. Greenwood © Grace Memorial Chapel 06-2018 Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
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Robert E. Greenwood fought the good fight in his short battle with liver cancer and on Saturday, June 9, 2018, he began his journey to his heavenly home. He leaves behind his wife, Joyce Buffalo Head-Greenwood, of Oklahoma City; one son Brent Greenwood, of Edmond; two daughters, Shane and Shaula, of Oklahoma City; two granddaughters, Anevay, of Edmond and Mekai, of Oklahoma City and nine grandsons, Isaiah and Miwese, of Edmond and Josiah, David, Adrian, Julian, Andrew, Elijah and Jacobi, all of Oklahoma City; one sister, Jackie Sue Harrison, of Choctaw and many nieces, nephews, Chickasaw relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Cecil Greenwood and Louise Tyubby-Greenwood; a sister, Patricia Roughface-Greenwood; a nephew, Tommy Jr. Roughface; maternal grandparents, Lila Mclish-Hawkins and Richmond Tyubby and paternal grandparents, Susie Chummuttie and Simeon Greenwood.
Robert was an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. He embraced his Chickasaw language and culture. He was honored to accept the invitation to have his portrait painted by Mike Larsen, a renowned Chickasaw artist. Robert is one of 18 Chickasaw elders whose paintings are displayed in the Chickasaw Cultural museum in Sulphur. Just recently, he was asked to participate with other Chickasaw elders in a documentary entitled, “Elders Speak”. Robert was born in Lawton, on March 13, 1949, to the proud parents Louise and Cecil Greenwood. The family resided in Oklahoma City and later moved to Midwest City where he attended school his elementary and high school years.
Upon graduation in 1967 he, along with his best high school friend Shelby Nelson, enlisted with the Marines. Robert was stationed at Camp Pendleton for his basic training and was later deployed to fight in the Vietnam War. He was assigned with the 1st battalion 9th Marines. It was during the Khe Sanh battle that Robert would receive two purple hearts, a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Action Ribbon, two Meritorious Citations and a Good Conduct Medal for his bravery and heroic efforts in one of the deadliest battles in the Vietnam War. He was seriously injured during this time of battle and was transported by medevac to Corpus Christi Texas where he was hospitalized for his injuries and later assigned to Camp Pendleton for further training.
In 1969 he returned home to Midwest City. He was employed at Western Electric Company in 1970 and later was employed by the U.S. Postal Service where he retired in 2006. In June of 1970, he attended the Methodist annual conference at Hog Creek in Anadarko. It was there he met his wife, Joyce and they were married in January of 1971. They established their home in Oklahoma City, where many memories were made with their three children and 11 grandchildren. He was a member of the Mary Lee Clark Church in Del City.
Robert was an avid fan of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. There were many happy days spent with his family in the Stillwater and Ponca City area during football and basketball seasons. He enjoyed camping at Chickasaw National Recreation Park in Sulphur with his family and grandchildren. Every year for the past 26 years, He looked forward to camping in August at the annual Ponca Celebration. He was very supportive of his wife’s desires to carry on the Ponca ways and traditions for her family.
Robert was a loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend and there are no words to express the void that will be left with his family and friends. He left a legacy of unconditional love, discipline and respect for his children and grandchildren to carry through their words and actions.
Grace Memorial Chapel in Ponca City will handle the funeral arrangements. There will be a wake service at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 11, at Mary Lee Clark Church, 1100 Howard Drive, Del City. The second wake service will be held on 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, at Ponca Methodist Church in the White Eagle community, located south of Ponca City. The final service will be held at 11 a.m. at Ponca Methodist Church on Wednesday, June 13, with burial in Ponca Indian Cemetery.
Joyce A. BuffaloHead Greenwood © Grace Memorial Chapel 12-2021 Submitted by: Glenn
© Grace Memorial Chapel
December 19, 1950 ~ December 6, 2021On Monday, December 6th, Joyce Greenwood was welcomed at Heaven’s doors by her loving husband, Robert, her parents, Roy and Dorothy Buffalo Head, brothers, Ronald Lee, Steve, Duane, Timothy, Mark, Ronnie and Keith, two sisters Mayla and Betty, and host of family and friends. Joyce was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma on December 19th, 1950. Her parents were Roy and Dorothy Blueback-Bufflao Head. Maternal grandparents were Ernest Blueback and Nellie King-Blueback. Paternal grandparents were Mark Buffalo Head and Mary DeLodge. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers, two sisters and her husband.
Survivors include one son, Brent and wife, Kennetha of Edmond, OK, and two daughters, Shane and Shaula of Oklahoma City, OK. Joyce’s pride and joy were her three children and her eleven grandchildren, grandsons, Isaiah, Miwese, Josiah, Adrian, Julian, David, Andrew, Elijah, and Jacobi and granddaughters, Anevay and Mekai. Joyce is also survived by her siblings Dwight and wife Judy Buffalo Head and Mary and husband Ernie Hamilton both of Ponca City, OK.
Joyce attended school in Marland, OK where she was known for her athletic basketball ability. She then attended Northern Oklahoma College at Tonkawa, OK where she graduated with a double major in sociology and community counseling from Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City, OK.
On January 23rd, 1971, Joyce married Robert E. Greenwood of Oklahoma City, OK and was married for 47 years before his passing. Joyce was employed by Southwestern Bell Telephone company where she retired from in March of 1998, after 23 years of service. In 1999, Joyce returned to her home town in Ponca City, where she served as the Ponca Indian Child Welfare Director for five years. She was committed to her job and was very compassionate to the children and families she provided services to. Because of her diligence and tireless efforts, the children received stability in their once torn lives. Today, many of the children remain in stable homes, and are being nurtured by loving and caring families.
In 2004, Joyce was hired as case manager for Edwin Fair Mental Health Center where she was employed for three and a half years. In 2009, Joyce returned to her home in Oklahoma City where she worked for Jordan’s Crossing for three years as a case manager and drug/alcohol counselor. In 2012, she retired from the workforce to care for her husband.
Joyce’s early church upbringing was in the Ponca Indian Methodist Church in White Eagle Community. When she was fifteen years old she began teaching Vacation Bible School. Her passion was working with the children and youth. She would often accompany her mother sitting around the women’s circle, sharing home cooked meals, sewing quilts, and telling stories of their life experiences. Joyce attended church at Mary Lee Clark in Del City where she served in many capacities on the local, district, and conference levels of the Methodist Church.
Joyce enjoyed life to the fullest! Her philosophy was to live each day to the fullest and not take life for granted. She lived her life accordingly:
“To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Joyce had many interests. Her favorite pastime was outdoor camping in the Arbuckles with her family, especially her grandchildren. She loved to take hikes in Sulphur, OK. She enjoyed listening to music; Ponca, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribal hymns, Native flute music, cool jazz, and rhythm and blues. She and her family are avid Oklahoma State fans and also Oklahoma City Thunder fans.
Joyce leaves a legacy for her children and grandchildren. Words cannot express how much our mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, and friend will be missed. Be comforted in knowing that Joyce left these final words for her children and grandchildren: “Be good to each other and stay strong in the Lord. God will be your strength and comforter in your time of need. My love for you is unconditional; the seeds have been planted, now it is up to each of you to sow those seeds and reap the harvest of your hard work.”
Wake service will be held Tuesday at 7pm at Mary Lee Clark Methodist Church in Del City, OK, officiated by Reverend David Wilson. Wednesday night wake service will be at 7pm and Funeral service will be Thursday at 10 am, both at the Otoe-Missouria Cultural Building in Red Rock, OK, officiated by Pastor Jimmy White. Grace Memorial Funeral Home will be conducting the burial at Ponca Indian Cemetery.
Casket Bearers will be grandsons, Isaiah, Miwese, Josiah, Adrian and Julian Greenwood and David Tristan. Honorary pall bearers are her son, Brent Greenwood, brother Dwight Buffalo Head, Ernie Hamilton, Batiste Jones, and Fred Others.
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