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Meeker resident Leota S. Ward, age 96, departed this life on August 13, 2023 in Shawnee.
Leota was born near Little Axe, Oklahoma in rural Cleveland County on October 27th, 1926, to Warner E. and Murial A. (Martin) Wilkerson. Her family moved to the Rossville area in Lincoln County, where she grew up and attended school at Rossville and White Rock. When she was 17, her family moved to Meeker and made their home on the southeast edge of town. In 1944, Leota went to work at the Midwest City Douglas Aircraft Plant for a brief time until the facility closed in August 1945 at the end of World War II. As the post war years began, she met Adrian O. Ward, also from Meeker, and the two of them would get married on November 16, 1946. To this union, two children would be born.
Leota spent the majority of her married life as a homemaker who raised her children and took care of things around the house. She was a long time member of the Meeker First Christian Church, having joined in 1945, and at one point had taught Sunday School for eleven years. Leota also enjoyed gardening and having fresh fruit and vegetables for the family to eat. In the mid-1960's, she belonged to the Meeker Home Improvement Club whose members exhibited their home grown produce at local fairs. In 1966, she served as the club's president. Later, in the mid-1980's, she joined the Meeker VFW Auxiliary #10499, and was a member of that organization for around ten years. Lastly, it should be mentioned that she loved fishing, and always enjoyed her favorite pastime when she was out catching fish with her family and friends.
Leota was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, her parents, four brothers, and two sisters: Johnie R. Markwell, Wilmer E. "Billy" Wilkerson, Jerry F. Wilkerson, Robert C. "Razz" Wilkerson, Nola Lurlene Bowen and Lucy Gearldine Kimbley.
She is survived by her children, Alvin E. Ward of Meeker and Angela D. Marsh of Shawnee; one granddaughter, Andrea L. Marsh of Shawnee and three great-grandsons, Jace Kaminski of Emporia, Kansas, Mason Kaminski and Brayden Bendelow of Shawnee. She is also survived by one brother and one sister, Jimmy F. Wilkerson of Belle Plaine, Kansas and Bobbie L. Bowen of Meeker.
A funeral service is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Thursday, August 17, 2023 at the Meeker First Christian Church. Burial will immediately follow at New Hope Cemetery in Meeker.
Services are under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Service of Meeker. An online guestbook is available at www.parksbrothers.net.
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