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Daleene Lavonne Sumrall, 79, of Norman, passed away Sunday, October 19, 2014 in Norman. She was born December 2, 1934 to Loy and Noma (Church) Johnson in Sentinel, Oklahoma.
Daleene spent the majority of her youth in Sentinal, Oklahoma. She was raised on a farm and truly lived the Oklahoma farm lifestyle. The farm life consisted of helping with the farm animals, as well as helping tend to a huge garden that supplied the family with the majority of their food. Even after Daleene grew up and left the farm, it was a tradition to go back yearly and help with canning blackeyed peas, green beans, pickles, jelly, okra, and putting up corn. The farm was the gathering place of Daleene's family for many holidays over the years.
Daleene married her first husband Rex Williams in high-school in Sentinel. Together they had their first born son, Steve. Nine days later, Rex died from a cerebral hemorrhage due to an accident. Daleene left Sentinel to attend Oklahoma State University. She attended classes there and met her second husband Ben Sumrall. They married in Stillwater and Daleene decided to quit school to work for the Dean of the college for the next few years while Ben finished college there. At this time they had their son Benny.
Daleene left Stillwater with her family to move to Blackwell, Oklahoma where Ben became the parks and recreation director there. Daleene and Ben had their second child Beneva in their early years of living in Blackwell. Daleene became the "standard" of the all American housewife. She kept an immaculate home, cooked three meals a day, attended every school function, and was involved in Camp Fire Girls. Daleene had various part time jobs that included working for the United Way. She frequently volunteered for organizations and was always cooking meals and helping others in times of need.
Daleene and family moved from Blackwell to Norman, Oklahoma in the latter 70's. She worked for Liberty Bank, Penn Square Bank, and Bank of Oklahoma for the next 25 years until she retired. After moving to Norman, Daleene joined the Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Delta Kappa Chapter in 1979, and was an active member with this wonderful philanthropic organization. ESA sponsors St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Easter Seals, and the Muskogee School for the Blind. Daleene was very close to her sorority sisters and had great pride in working with her friends to raise money as sponsors for the organizations they support. The combined chapters of ESA have raised over 40 million dollars for St. Jude and have a floor dedicated in their name at the hospital.
Daleene had a green thumb, she enjoyed planting and working in her flower beds. Her favorite flower was an iris and she loved fresh cut flower bouquets in the summer. She also loved butterflies and humming birds, which she had a huge collection of both. She also loved costume jewelry and never threw a piece away. She may have enough pieces to share with the town of Norman if her family dared to count each piece.
Daleene and Ben loved the outdoors and frequently went on lake outings. They took an annual 2 week vacation camping out at Lake Tenkiller with their children where they enjoyed boating, fishing, and campfires. She had the most immaculate outdoor camping kitchen known to man. Lake Tenkiller became a favorite go to place for 50 years of Daleene's life. After purchasing a "lake place" in the 70's, Lake Tenkiller became Daleene's 2nd home. This was a frequent place to spend time with family and friends. She especially enjoyed her Tenkiller home after she retired. Daleene established many friendships over the years and her lake friends have been just as important to her as her biological family.
Daleene was often referred to as MeMe, and she was a true MeMe to dozens of people over the years. She was known to have a very strong will, and was not afraid to speak her opinion in pretty much any situation. Though she was not afraid to put anyone in their place, she loved and adored her family, ESA sisters, personal friends, and lake family. She was known for being a great cook and had frequent requests for fried okra, which was picked annually around the farm. She had actually picked and prepped 10 gallon bags of okra, and was putting them in her freezer for special winter meals at the time she had her stroke. Daleene was a doting MeMe and cherished any time she got to be with her grandchildren and great grand children. She loved remembering people, and had a personal calendar with the birthday of every friend and family member in it. She NEVER missed remembering any one she knew with an annual birthday card.
Daleene loved the holidays and her favorite holiday was Christmas, as this was the one holiday her family did their best to come from long distances in order to all be together. Christmas traditions involved food, as she truly could show her love through cooking. Christmas tradition consisted of the traditional turkey meal one day, followed by the most outstanding Mexican Dinner the next day, which included tacos and enchiladas from scratch. Last Christmas Daleene prepared 88 tacos, and four pans of enchiladas for the family meal, all from scratch, shells and all! Of course there was the filler "in- between food", including the traditional chili, chicken-n-noodles, home-made toubouli, onion dip, fudge, English toffee, and usually 10 pies. Of course, fried okra and black-eyed peas were a part of the holiday gathering food fest.
Daleene was a Christian woman, and knew Jesus all her life. She was born into a strong Christian home, and accepted Jesus as her Savior through baptism as a young girl. Her grand-father was a minister in the Church of Christ, and her father was an Elder in the church. She knew the bible well, and was shown the Christian way of life from her mother, Noma who set the example of being the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth. It was a very rare occasion when a church service was missed when she was growing up. Daleene was a member of the Church of Christ in every town she lived in.
Daleene is survived by three children, Steven Dale Williams and wife Terry of Friendswood, TX, Benny Gene Sumrall and wife Rosie of Ft. Myers, Florida, Beneva Cruz Curtis and husband Buck of Oklahoma City, OK.; grandchildren, Shawn and wife Angel, Sheldon, Danielle, Kyle and wife Mallory, Matthew and wife Sarah, Kristina and husband Bart, and Randy; and great-grandchildren, Justin, Ashley, Shepherd, Lilian, Capri, Savannah, Austin.
Memorials may be made in memory of Daleene to the Delta Kappa Chapter, 2405 Weatherford Street, Norman, OK., 73071. The donations will go toward several charities such as the St. Jude Children's Hospital and Easter Seals of Oklahoma.
Arrangements for Daleene and her family were placed in the care of Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman. Online condolences may be shared at www.HavenbrookFuneralHome.com.
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