Florene Oleta Emmons passed from this life on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at Bell Nursing Home in Elk City, OK. at the age of 93. She was born September 24, 1923 around Leedey, OK to Stella B. (Price) and Joseph Jackson “Jack” McRee. Florene grew up on the farm east of Aledo, OK and attended grade school at Mountain View Elementary School south east of Leedey. As a teenager, she accepted Christ into her life and was baptized at Evergreen Church and later in life she became a member of First Baptist Church in Leedey.
She married Leonard Melvin Stigleman on July 20, 1939 and had three daughters: Charlotte Fern, Connie Kay and Betty Jane. Leonard died accidentally on January 14, 1950. Florene and the girls moved back to Leedey later and she married Lee Cates on July 14, 1950 and to this union one son Jesse Lee Cates was born. Lee died in an automobile accident. After living and working and rearing her four children, she married James Eugene “Sonny” Emmons. One son, Jimmy Keith Emmons was born to them. They later moved to the farm and Florene became an avid rancher, farmer with driving the John Deere tractor into her eighties and working in the fields in Dewey County.
Florene is survived by one sister, Irene Creswell, Hammon, OK; Five Children: Charlotte and Gene Nease, OKC, Connie and Bill Basler, Leedey, Betty and Steve McDonald, Piedmont, Jesse and Maria Cates, YuCatan, Mexico, Jimmy and Ginger Emmons, Leedey. Thirteen grandchildren: Tammy & Eric Seibert, Greg & Misty Nease, Teresa & Scott Stephens, Dana McDonald, Jeff & Brooke Basler, Tonya McDonald, Shad Cates, Shay and Rusty High, Beau & Toni Emmons, Shane & Savannah Cates, Diana Cates and Jessica Hernandez. Twenty great grandchildren and four nieces who loved her dearly: Linda, Karen, Lilla and Oleta. And many other cousins and lots of friends.
Services were held Wednesday January 4, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, Leedey, OK with burial following at Evergreen Cemetery, Leedey, OK. Condolencees may be made to the family at shawfuneralhome.net.
The Cheyenne Star, January 5, 2017