A 12 Wednesday, July 30, 2008 TULSA WORLD Nearly 60-year-old letter surfaces LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) OBITUARIES Vallee Melvina Kidd KIDD Vallee Melvina, long time Tulsa resident, died Sunday, July 27, 2008, at St. Simeon's Episcopal Home in Tulsa. The daughter of Alva Joseph and Pauline Louise Nolte Lefever was born January 5, 1918, in Morgan County, MO. She graduated from Versailles School in 1934 and continued her education at Sedalia Business College.
Vallee took a job in Washington, D.C. working for the Internal Revenue Service. She met and married Vernon Kidd November 5, 1937, while in Washington. The couple made their home there and St. Louis before moving to Tulsa in 1944.
She was an accountant who co-owned the Vernon Kidd Accounting firm. Vallee was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa where she served as an elder, taught Sunday school, prepared meals for youth groups, and served as President of the Women's Association. She was an active community leader serving on the Board of Directors of Gilcrease Museum, President of Gillies at Gilcrease, President, Jefferson Hills Garden Club, and President of Tuesday Book Club. She was a member of the Rotary Anns, Trustee of the Otha H. Grimes Foundation, Girl Scout leader, and member of P.E.O.
Family members surviving are: her children, Elaine Green and husband, Ernest, of Claremore, Vernon Kidd, Jr. and wife, Marilyn of Dallas, TX, and Margaret Keener, and husband, Marvin of Stillwater; grandchildren, Alison Eagle of Tulsa, Amanda Green of Shreveport, LA, Jeff Kidd of New York City, Mary Cosper of San Antonio, TX, Susan Lavergne of Shreveport, LA, Ross Keener of Oklahoma City; great -grandchildren, Christian and Macy Keener of Oklahoma City; sisters, Fern Seelig of Monrovia, CA, and June Gordon, of Latham, NY; and brother, Alva Joseph Lefever, Jr. of Tuscumbia, MO. She is predeceased by her husband, Vernon; parents, Alva Joseph and Pauline Lefever; sisters, Juanita Hilderbrand, Geraldine Dahl, and Ruth Carriger; brother, David Lefever; and grandson, Brian Green. A memorial service will be held in Kerr Chapel at First Presbyterian Church, 11 a.m., Tuesday, August 19, 2008.
Private interment service will be in Memorial Park Cemetery under direction of Musgrove-Merriott -Smith Funeral Service Crematory, Claremore. Friends may make memorial contributions to the Youth Program, First Presbyterian Church, 709 So. Boston Tulsa, OK 74119. Visit Vallee's online tribute at www.mmsfuneralhomes.com to leave messages for her family. EMMONS Jack Edwin, was born November 1, 1923, to Dallas E.
and Hazel Cooper Emmons in Vinita, OK. He passed away July 27, 2008. Jack graduated from Tulsa Central High School and received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He also attended Oklahoma State University, Bowdin College in Brunswick, ME, and the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He co-owned Emmons Electric in Tulsa, was a long time electrical contractor, and retired from Colburn Electric in 2003. His passions were golf, family and his puppies. He was preceded in death by: his parents; twin brother, Milton; sister, Clarese and 1 wives, Dorothy Musselman Emmons and Lois Walters Emmons.
He is survived by: his daughter, Patti and sons, Steve, Dallas, Loran, and grandchildren, Rebecca, Dallas, Brenton, Tina and Kristy. A Memorial Service will be held 2 p.m., Thursday, July 31st, at Boston Avenue Methodist Church in the Rose Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sojourn Care Hospice. Floral Haven 252-2518. Thomas F.
Fixmer FIXMER Thomas Fayetteville, AR, formerly of Tulsa, OK, died Saturday, July 26, 2008, at Circle of Life Hospice House in Springdale, AR. Born July 2, 1935, he spent most of his life in Tulsa and Bixby, OK, retiring to Arkansas in 1997. He is survived by: his wife, Sara of the home; a daughter and son-in-law, Leslie and Michael Vistor of Murphy, TX and a son-in-law, Steve Jaynes of Tulsa, OK. Grandchildren surviving him are: Lauren Helton, Cassie and Ryan Victor, Stephanie Jaynes Mathis, and Alex Jaynes. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews, along with many special friends and extended family.
A daughter, Audrey Fixmer Jaynes; a son, Kristopher Sean Fixmer; parents, B.F. and Maxine Fixmer; sister, Ann Fixmer Garrison; and brother, Charles B. Fixmer; are awaiting his arrival in heaven, along with many other loved ones and friends. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., on Friday, August 1, 2008, at the First United Methodist Church, 206 West Johnson, Springdale, AR 72764. Friends and relatives may make contributions to The Circle of Life Hospice of Springdale, AR, The First United Methodist Church of Springdale, or The University of Tulsa Athletic Program in Tom's memory.
To sign the online guest book please visit www.nelsonbernacom. Arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville. (479)521-5000 REED Brother Hassan Albert, JR. 76, passed away July 23, 2008. Supervisor for Fibercast.
Service 11 a.m.. Thursday, July 31, 2008, North Peoria Church of Christ. Visitation 1 p.m. 7 p.m., Wednesday. Keith D.
Biglow Funeral Directors, Inc. Tulsa Chapel. (918)592-2233, HAMILTON Alma Rita Al- Brother Hassan Albert Reed, JR. ma Hamilton was called to her home in heaven on Saturday, July 26, 2008. She was looking forward to seeing her Mom and Dad once again.
Only 63, Alma was born January 13, 1945, in Marlow, OK to James and Lois Wright. She lived most of her life in Tulsa, attending Edison High School and later, after much hard work, graduating with honors from Bartlesville Wesleyan College with a degree in Human Resources. Alma was happiest at her work for Fabricut and Commercial Design, where she enjoyed the respect and admiration of her colleagues and formed many long lasting friendships. She was especially saddened when her health forced her to retire early. During her time away from work, Alma loved to watch football and enjoyed many trips to watch her beloved OU Sooners.
She was also an avid reader and especially enjoyed a good mystery. Throughout her long battle with cancer, Alma's friends have remained faithfully by her side, offering transportation, physical help, and much needed emotional support. We also offer a very special thank you to Dr. Vickie Baker and her staff for their graciousness, understanding, faith, and perseverance in fighting Alma's cancer and doing everything possible to provide her a good quality of life. Alma is survived by: her brother, James Lowell Wright and his wife Carol of Moore, OK; her brother, Jerry D.
Wright and his wife Ann of Katy, TX; her niece, Jeanette and her husband, Terry Vierling and children, Jeremiah and Heather Jones, and her niece, Leslie Wright. Alma was cheerful through her pain and shared her deep faith in Jesus Christ and her experiences in her cancer battle with other cancer survivors and never gave up. Her friends and family will miss her greatly. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, July 30, 2008, at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel, 6500 S. 129th E.
Broken Arrow, OK (918)252-2518. Burial Parks Cremation-Lots TWP SPACES, SIDE BY SIDE, FLORAL HAVEN Veterans Field older section, $5500. Call (918) 283-1685 MOVING TRIBUTES at Legacy.com A letter detailing the mood after Truman defeated Dewey that was lost in the postal system for nearly 60 years recently turned up in the mailbox of a Kansas woman. Xan Wedel found the letter, postmarked Nov. 11, 1948, in her mailbox Friday.
The envelope was stamped "Return to sender" and "Found in supposedly empty mailbox." The letter was addressed to a Ruth Willisten in Rockfall, but it never reached its destination. It was sent by Gertrude Gilmore, who lived at Wedel's house in 1948. The letter states, "All Law- Xan Wedel of Lawrence, holds a letter she received July rence is in mourning since the 25 that was "returned to sender," Gertrude Gilmore, who lived in election," during which Har- Wedel's home nearly 60 years ago. The letter is postmarked Nov. ry S.
Truman beat Thomas E. 11, 1948. NICK Dewey for the presidency of the United States. The elec- one of their daughters. them into her tion would have taken place Lawrence Postmaster Judy She now has interest in the just days before the letter was Raney said: "It's impossible family who built the home postmarked.
to really know what may or she's lived in for nearly four Gilmore also writes about may not have happened. No years, she said. her new Westinghouse elec- matter what, we always take "It would be really intertric refrigerator and the new it and go ahead and send it esting to see if they are still pastor at Plymouth Congre- on." in town or have any descengational Church. Wedel said she is preserv- dants that would know the Wedel said she thinks the ing the letter. She photo- history behind her (Gertrude Gilmore family built her home graphed the envelope and Gilmore) and who she was in 1890 and that Gertrude was four-page letter and scanned writing," she said.
TRANSITIONS DEATHS Death notice policy The Tulsa World publishes free death notices. Funeral homes may submit death notices from 4 to 10:30 p.m. daily. For information about news obituaries, call 581- 8325. organ tissue donor TULSA Barnes, Adelaide 81, salesclerk, died Tuesday.
Services pending. Moore's Southlawn. Barron, Marlene, 69, homemaker, died Tuesday in Fort Worth. Services pending. Moore's Memory.
Bridgman, H. Ray, 92, minister, died Saturday. Service 11 a.m. Thursday, Evangelistic Temple. Ladusau-Evans, Enid.
Daugherty, James William "Bill," 90, retired Frankoma Pottery vice president and general manager, died londay. Visitation 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, Fitzgerald's Ivy Funeral Home; rosary 7 p.m. Thursday and funeral Mass 10 a.m. Friday, both at Christ the King Catholic Church.
Earles, Zane Alan, infant son of Linzy Earles and Tyler Ogden, died Monday. Services pending. Fitzgerald's Southwood Colonial. Farrar, Veda 91, died Tuesday. Services pending.
Moore's Eastlawn. Guthrie, E. Nadine, 86, retired registered nurse, died Monday. Memorial service 2 p.m. Friday, First Presbyterian Church.
Moore's Southlawn. Hamblin, Carrie, 65, homemaker, died Tuesday. Services pending. Johnson, Sperry. Hine, Otice Glen, 94, state of Oklahoma vocational rehabilitation employee, died Monday.
Services pending. Floral Haven, Broken Arrow. Kidd, Vallee Melvina, 90, retired accountant, died Sunday. Memorial service 11 a.m. Aug.
19, First Presbyterian Church. Musgrove-Merriott-Smith, Claremore. Lewis, Cecelia C. "Pat," 83, former TWA flight attendant, died July 20. Memorial service 3 p.m.
Friday, Ninde Brookside Funeral Home Chapel. Lynn, Marzella, 83, homemaker, died Monday. Services pending. Add'vantage. McCulley, Ardythe 74, homemaker, died Sunday.
Visitation 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Freeman Harris Funeral Home, and service 1 p.m. Thursday, First United Methodist Church, Oklahoma City. Plummer, George 87, retired from Natkin Construction, died Monday, Graveside service 2 p.m. Saturday, Floral Haven Memorial Gardens, Broken A Arrow.
Moore's Memory. Reed, Brother Hassan Albert 78, Fibercast supervisor, died July 23. Visitation 1-7 p.m. Wednesday, Keith D. Biglow Funeral Home, and service 11 a.m.
Thursday, North Peoria Church of Christ. Riffe, Donavan "Don," 85, insurance claims adjuster, died Monday. Service 10 a.m. Thursday, Yale Avenue Christian Church. Moore's Rosewood.
Romero, Reynaldo, 69, chiropractor, died Thursday. Services pending. Floral Haven, Broken Arrow. Smith, Carrie May Brady, 92, homemaker, died Sunday. Visitation noon-8 p.m.
Wednesday and service 10 a.m. Thursday, both at Rose Hill Funeral Home. Stevens, Frezzell "Frez," 52, laborer, died Monday. Services pending. New Dyer.
Thrasher, Edna Marie, 86, Bank loan officer, died Monday. Services pending. Floral Haven, Broken Arrow. Wilson, John "Jack," 74, pipeline engineer, died July 21. Memorial service 2 p.m.
Saturday, Moore's Southlawn Funeral Home Chapel. Worley, Raymond, 73, laborer, died July 22. Visitation noon-7 p.m. Thursday and service 11 a.m. Friday, both at Keith D.
Biglow Funeral Home. Funeral home, church and cemetery locations are in the city under which the death notice is listed unless otherwise noted. Ada Delores L. Baugus, 74, homemaker, died Monday. Services pending.
Williamson, Wetumka. Afton William Rodney Aldinger, 73, died Friday. Memorial service 1 p.m. Thursday, Cowboy Junction Church, Vinita. Paul Thomas, Miami, Okla.
Bartlesville Earl E. "E.J." Haller, 25, mechanic, died Monday. Service 10 a.m. Friday, West Oak Baptist Church. Walker-Brown.
Evelyn Neal, 77, homemaker, died Monday. Service 2 p.m. Friday, Walker-Brown Funeral Home Chapel. Boley Lonnie R. Griffin I1, 30, music writer and producer, died Saturday in Oklahoma City.
Service 1 p.m. Friday, Amos Temple CME Church. Hyde Park. Broken Arrow Mary E. Ballew, 82, homemaker, died Sunday.
Service 3 p.m. Thursday, First United Methodist Church. Floral Haven. Patty Lou Butz, 77, corporate secretary, died Monday. Services pending.
Floral Haven. Gary Wayne Collins, 58, St. John Medical Center project manager, died Sunday. Service 7 p.m. Thursday, Plainview Baptist Church, Tulsa.
Floral Haven. Mary Raines, 73, American General Life Insurance Co. employee, died Monday. Service 3 p.m. Thursday, Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel.
Catoosa Bobbie Crampton, 61, Postal Service carrier, died Monday. Service 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel. Bill Hardison, 71, retired construction general contractor, died Sunday. Service 10 a.m.
Thursday, First Baptist Church, Inola. Moore's Southlawn, Tulsa. Checotah Deborah Minnick, age unavailable, died Tuesday. Services pending. Hampton.
Claremore David Lee Carter, 62, retired from Oklahoma Department of Transportation, died Monday. Visitation 6-8 p.m. Thursday and service 10 a.m. Friday, both at Rice Funeral Service. Cecil Harrell, 89, retired from Tulsa Public Schools, died Monday.
Service 10 a.m. Saturday, Sageeyah Baptist Church. Rice. Ruby Inez Leach, 82, homemaker, died Monday. Service 2 p.m.
Thursday, Trinity Faith Church, Collinsville. CollinsvilleDolton. Cushing Marye Johnson, 64, homemaker, died Monday. Service 10 a.m. Thursday, Church of God.
Davis. Dewar Bobbye Ruth Milam, 83, homemaker, died Sunday. Service 10:30 a.m. Thursday, United Pentecostal Church. Shurden, Henryetta.
Henryetta James "Jim" Barnett, 59, radiographer, died Monday. Memorial service 10 a.m. Thursday, Rogers Funeral Home Chapel. Robert N. "Bob" Hall, 98, retired from PPG Industries, died Sunday.
Service 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, United Pentecostal Church, Dewar. Shurden. Lucille VanMeter, 73, licensed practical nurse, died Monday. Service 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Evangelistic Center Church. Shurden. Mulbert Hal Ray Beaver, 76, construction foreman, died Monday. Service 2 p.m. Friday, First Baptist Church.
Hart, Tahlequah. Kansas Rex Sanders, 49, construction worker, died Monday in Springdale, Ark. Service 10 a.m. Friday, Reed-Culver Funeral Home Chapel, Tahlequah. Mannford Junior Cunningham, 73, used tire salesman, died Saturday.
Service 2 p.m. Thursday, Butler-Stumpff Funeral Home Chapel, Tulsa. Cremation Society, Tulsa. McAlester Wendell Brewer 72, engineer, died Sunday. Service 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brumley-Mills. Oleta Mitchell, 84, nursing home owner, died Sunday. Service 10 a.m. Wednesday, Brumley-Mills Funeral Home Chapel.
Mounds Loretta M. Ramey, 84, died Tuesday. Services pending. Leonard Marker. Muskogee Theresa M.
Cato, 79, TC's Square Dance Fashions owner, died Tuesday. Service 11 a.m. Friday, Foster-Petering Funeral Home Chapel. Pamela Renee Cauthon, 50, registered nurse, died Saturday. Services pending.
Muskogee Cremation. Nowata Randolph James, 80, truck driver, died Sunday. Service 11 a.m. Thursday, United Methodist Church, Lenapah. Benjamin.
Okmulgee Alma Freeny, 97, homemaker, died Monday. Service 10 a.m. Friday, McClendonWinters Funeral Home Chapel. Maude Vivian Munds, 91, homemaker, died Monday. Service 2 p.m.
Thursday, McClendon-Winters Funeral Home Chapel. Owasso Phyllis A. Glasgow, age unavailable, florist, died Monday. Graveside celebration of life 10 a.m. Friday, Green Acres Memorial Gardens, Tulsa.
Moore's. Helen N. died Knight, 84, Service homemaker, Monday. 2 p.m. Thursday, Friendship Baptist Church.
Moore. Dallas Michael Peterson, 17, student, died Monday. Services pending. Mowery. Ponca City Nicholas "Nick" Batt, 21, cook, died Tuesday.
Services pending. Trout. Porter Bobbie E. North, 68, mechanic, died Monday. Services pending.
Wright, Coweta. Floyd Cecil Stroud, 79, truck driver, died Tuesday. Services pending. Shipman, Wagoner. Prague Joe Allen Williams, 64, state of Oklahoma surveyor, died Monday.
Services pending. Parks Brothers. Sapulpa Doris Pariseau Hughes, 86, Green Hill Memorial Gardens co-owner, formerly of Sapulpa, died Saturday in Tulsa. Service 10 a.m. Wednesday, Green Hill Funeral Home Chapel.
Siloam Springs, Ark. Martha Genevieve Wegemer, 91, homemaker, died Sunday. Graveside service 10 a.m. Friday, Oak Hill Cemetery. Wasson.
Stillwater Jason Dwayne Brake, 29, masonry worker, died Monday. Service 10 a.m. Thursday, Palmer Marler Carberry Funeral Home Chapel. Roy Carberry, 71, petroleum engineer, died Saturday. Memorial service 2 p.m.
Friday, First Christian Church. Strode. Stilwell Ella Perrell, 73, homemaker, died Tuesday. Services pending. Stroud Clarence O.
Ninness, 100, oil-field worker, died Tuesday. Service 10 a.m. Friday, First Baptist Church, Davenport. Palmer Marler, Cushing. Tahlequah Gary Wayne Davis, 51, Davis Construction lineman, died Monday.
Service 10 a.m. Thursday, Reed-Culver Funeral Home Chapel. Charles M. "Scotty" Scott Ill, 60, crane operator, died Friday in San Antonio. Services pending.
Hart. Yale Wilmer Leon Tindel, 80, welder, died Sunday in Columbia, Tenn. Graveside service 10 a.m. Thursday, Lawson Cemetery. Palmer Marler.
90, a U.S.-WORLD Joe Beck, a jazz guitarist who collaborated with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and James Brown, died July 22 in Danbury, Conn. He was 62. Beck was a prolific studio and session performer, arranger and producer, with an identifiable harmonic and rhythmic sound. He was honored five times by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences as a "Most Valuable Player." Beck got his start as a teenager in the 1960s playing in a jazz trio in New York. By 1968, he was working with Davis and other top jazz stars.
After taking a year break from music to run a dairy farm, Beck went back to music in the 1970s, working with artists such as Gloria Gaynor and Esther Phillips, including on her hit single, "What a Difference a Day Makes." In 1975, his collaboration with saxophonist David Sanborn, "Beck and Sanborn," became a cool fusion hit. He also composed and arranged for both film and television, and played with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra in London, the Milan Philharmonic in Italy and the Paris String Ensemble in France. Beck went back to farming in 1988, but was recording and touring again by 1992. In 2002, he organized the 72nd birthday celebration for the king of Thailand, who played saxophone with Beck. He last toured in December 2007, playing in Europe with fellow jazz guitarist John Abercrombie.
Beck also taught guitar at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury. Johnny Griffin, a jazz saxophonist who played with America's greats, from Thelonious Monk to Lionel Hampton, but chose to live in France, has died. He was 80. Griffin, whose career spanned more than a half-century, was found dead Friday hours before a concert in Mauprevoir in western France by his wife, Miriam, his agent said. The exact cause of death was not clear, his agent said.
A Chicago native, the diminutive Griffin took up the sax early on, eventually preferring the tenor saxophone and taking on the nickname "the Little Giant" for the big sounds he blew out of the instrument at breakneck speed. Born April 24, 1928, Griffin started at Chicago's Du Sable High School where Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington and other greats grew into their music. He graduated then toured with Hampton's big band. After two years in the Army, he played in Chicago and New York, gaining a national reputation with his hard-bop improvisations. In the late 1950s, he played with Art Blakey and Monk.
In the early 1960s, the sax master moved to France where a collection of jazz artists was gathering. He then hopscotched to the Netherlands and back to France. He toured Europe, keeping up the pace even in his final years with recent concerts in Spain, Portugal and Tunisia, his agent said. Griffin's 1958 album "A Blowing Session," a hard bop jam session with John Coltrane, drummer Blakey and others, remains among his signature works. Margaret Ray Ringenberg, a World War pilot from Indiana who continued to fly into her 80s, has died.
She was 87. Ringenberg, of Fort Wayne, died Monday in Oshkosh, where she was attending an Experimental Aircraft Association event. Winnebago County Deputy Coroner Shelley Donner said Ringenberg died of natural causes. Ringenberg ferried military planes across the country during World War before serving as a flight instructor and competing in numerous air races, including an around-the-world race at age 72. Her adventures earned her a chapter in Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation," a book documenting heroes of the World War era.
Ringenberg got the bug to fly when she was 8 years old and a barnstorming pilot landed in a field near her family's farm in northeastern Indiana. After she graduated from high school, she was resigned to becoming a flight attendant thinking that was the only job on airplanes available for women. SEE TRANSITIONS A13.
