|
| |
Owana Darlene Ferguson was born in Watsonville, California, on May 26, 1942, to Robert Alden and Frances Marie Pettigrew. She departed this life on October 18, 2024, in Bristow, Oklahoma, at the age of 82.
Although born in California, Owana grew up in Bristow, Oklahoma, where she graduated from Bristow High School in 1960. She was a self-employed seamstress. Owana had many things that brought her joy, such as sewing, her infinite love of horses and dogs, gardening, and cooking. She cherished the days when the family gathered, relishing the opportunity to cook for them. These times held a special place in her heart, not just for the festivities but for the chance to see her loved ones together in the same place. I remember how she used to prepare a feast for us, her eyes sparkling with joy as we all sat down to eat.
While growing up in Bristow, she found the love of horses, a passion she carried all her life. She bought her first horse in her mid-twenties and never went another day without a horse in her life. She loved watching her children grow up. Her sons, Richard and Russell, rode dirt bikes and played baseball, and her daughter, Sherry, showed horses. When she wasn't doing something with horses, she was sewing.
She was a very accomplished and talented third-generation seamstress who got that love from her mother and grandmother. In the late 60's and early 70's, she worked at Selmore Garment factory, later called Miss Elaine's, in Bristow with her grandmother, Clara Propst, her mother, Frances Pettigrew, and her sister, Sonja Smith. A Tulsa news crew did a story on them for having three generations of women working at the factory simultaneously. Owana's creativity was not limited to fabric. She also designed and drew the Oklahoma Pinto Horse Association logo, a design used for over 50 years. Her work and designs have left a lasting impact.
She loved to sew for her family and make horse show clothes. In later years, she sewed swimsuits with her daughter and helped design the "Platinum Collection" of swimwear for CP Annie Swimwear. They also sewed for Winnwear Designs and made the Miss America Pageant swimsuits from 2008 through 2010. In 2013, her daughter started her own pageant swimwear company, Love 2 Win Swimwear, which she was an integral part of until 2022, when her eyesight restricted her sewing ability.
We are deeply grateful for the love and support we have received during this difficult time. She is survived by one son, Russell Christy, and his fiancé, Pam; her daughter, Sherry Love, and husband Roger; one sister, Sonja Smith, and husband Marty; four grandchildren, Elaina Christy, Megan Love, Alex Christy, and Melissa Love; one great-grandson, Connor Christy; one niece, Lynn Taylor; one great nephew, Elias Rengger; one great niece, Lily Rengger, and a host of cousins, other friends and family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister, Joanne Pettigrew, and one son, Richard Christy.
Services are under the direction of Hutchins Maples Matherly Funeral Home.
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2025 Oklahoma CemeteriesThe information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.