Lebanon Cemetery

Marshall County, Oklahoma

© Watts Funeral Home
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Novella Bowden Shebester

March 30, 1928 ~ September 23, 2025

Novella Shebester, 97 of Madill, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully at her home on September 23, 2025. She was born March 30, 1928, to Ruben Odell Bowden and Annie Lee Williams Bowden, an original enrollee of the Choctaw Nation, in Frogville, Oklahoma. She was the 3rd of 10 kids, 5 brothers and four sisters. Whenever her siblings needed help with something, Vel was the one they called, and she always showed up ready to lend a helping hand. She went to school at Meadowbrook and Greenville Schools where she played basketball with her sisters. She also sang in a trio with some of her sisters. In 1947, while attending Cosmetology School in Ardmore, her roommate, Tince Shebester, introduced her to her cousin, Billy Joe Shebester. They were married on June 26, 1948, sharing 68 beautiful years together, until Bill's passing on June 27, 2016. They resided in Pauls Valley, where Bill worked in the oil field. In 1949 they moved to Madill where they made their home on Shebester Road. They would stay there, where they would raise their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren and live out the rest of their days. In the mid to late 1950's Bill and Novella had 1080 caged laying hens and sold eggs to numerous individuals, grocery stores and the Marietta Cookie Factory. After they got out of the egg business, she worked at Lake Texoma Lodge as a reservation clerk for several years. When Bill got into the insurance and real estate business, Novella ran the office. She was active in the First Methodist Church and oversaw a booth at the Zelma Bazaar for many years. Bill's first love was farming and ranching. Novella's job was to keep Bill and his hired hands fed while they worked in the fields. Many, many times she carried hot lunches to them. She was L1 Base and would be notified by L1 when they needed her to go pick up parts or when they needed help moving equipment. She could drive everything except the combine. After retirement they loved traveling in their 5th wheel camper. They traveled to many destinations with two other couples from Madill. Novella's greatest joy in her last days was when her Great, Great Grandchildren came for a visit and Brynslee asking, "Grandma, do you think Dr. Pepper is spicy?"

She is survived by:
Daughter: Sherry Lowery and husband Keith, of Madill, OK
Son: Bobby Joe Shebester and wife Dawn of Lebanon, OK
Grandchildren: Bobby Szenasi and wife Tracy, Madill, OK
Tosha Kendrix and husband Wayne, Madill, OK
Nicole Punneo and husband Justin, Duncan, OK
Jaret Shebester and wife Brianne, Madill, OK
Shantel Shores and husband Chase Shores, Ardmore, OK

Great Grandchildren: Anzlee Szenasi and Tyler Bernstein, Paizlee Bell and husband Holden, Kaden Stewart, Krayton Shores, Taylin Stewart, Maddi Punneo, Kruz Shores, Jhett Shebester, Everly Shebester, McCray Tripp, Jayce Robbins

Great Great Grandchildren: Brynslee Bernstein, Reed Bell, Callan Bernstein

She is also survived by her sisters, Gladys Holt and Paula Phillips and brothers, Charles Bowden, Bob Bowden, Jim Bowden and countless nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Husband Billy Joe Shebester, Son Stephen Allen Shebester and her siblings: Bill Bowden, Robert Bowden, Alta Mapp, and Jean Cullum.

Casket Bearers: Bobby Szenasi, Jaret Shebester, Wayne Kendrix, Justin Punneo, Chase Shores, Kaden Stewart, Krayton Shores, Kruz Shores, Jhett Shebester, Tyler Bernstein, Holden Bell