ETHEL
ALENE STOKESBURY, eldest of two daughters born to Dewey Ray and Emma
Mae (Harris) Chase, was born February 14, 1922 on the family farm in
the township of Cold Creek, Pawnee County, Oklahoma. She
departed this life February 17, 2010 while a resident of Southern
Oaks Care Center in Pawnee. She was 88 years of age.
She
was known as “Alene” by her family and friends. She received
her education at Cold Creek and graduated from Ralston High School
with the class of 1941. She was united in marriage to S/Sgt.
Frank T. Stokesbury, August 21, 1941 in Pawnee. She followed him to
his assignments until his deployment to Europe during WW II.
While Frank was stationed in New York City, Alene worked as a clerk
in the basement of Macy’s Department Store. During Frank’s
overseas and Alaskan Territory duty, she returned to Ralston until
his honorable discharge in 1949. They made their home in
Muskogee with their three daughters, Frances Kay, Linda Arlene and
Rebecca Lynn. Alene was a homemaker while Frank was a Chief
Warrant Office for the Oklahoma National Guard, 45th
Division until his death June 25, 1959.
The family remained in Muskogee until the summer of 1962 when they
moved to Pawnee to be closer to Alene’s parents. Alene served
as secretary for the First Baptist Church until she began her career
with the Pawnee Public School system in 1964. She worked as
secretary to the superintendent 26 years until her retirement.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Pawnee where she
taught an adult Sunday school class 33 years. She took art
lessons and created several oil paintings. She also enjoyed
crafts, crocheting and sewing. She made wedding dresses for
her daughters and granddaughters. She did not enjoy cooking,
but faithfully prepared chicken and noodles, fruit cobblers and
cream pies for family celebrations.
She is survived
by her three daughters: Kay Yates and husband Larry of Pawnee,
Linda Redinger and husband Ronnie of Seiling and Rebecca Tucker and
husband Steve of Edmond; six grandchildren; fourteen
great-grandchildren; one sister: Wilma Thurber of Pawnee; several
nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. She was
preceded in death by her parents, her husband and a great-grandson,
Greyson Redinger.
The funeral service was held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, February 20,
2010 at the First Baptist Church in Pawnee with her grandson-in-law
Mike Brock, officiating. Interment was in the Riverside Cemetery in Ralston. Memorials can be
made to the Pawnee Baptist Church elevator fund with the Redinger
Funeral Home-PO Box 236-Seiling, OK 73663 serving as custodian of
the funds.
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