Dorothy Lee Wightman, 89, of Panama,
Oklahoma, left this earth
to be with her savior on November 15, 2013. She passed very peacefully at her
daughter’s home surrounded by loving family, her private nurse Heidi and her
Hospice caregiver in Polson,
Montana.
Dorothy was born at home in Milford, Texas on June 19, 1924 to Mary Lee and Oather Ray Farmer, the oldest of 5 girls. The Farmers were actual farmers and she knew the business end of a cotton sack from an early age. When she talked about picking cotton, she admitted to hiding behind her partially full cotton sack and using it as a backrest when she was tired of picking. When asked about her favorite childhood memory, she talked about galloping horse rides with her father. She graduated from Keller High School in Keller, Texas and married James Strickland. They had two daughters, Nelmalee and Julia. She then married Harold Keller and relocated to Perryton, Texas. They had five children: Danny, Burl, Vickie, Curtis & Rebecca. She relocated to Liberal, Kansas in 1959. Finally, she met and married the love of her life, Bart Wightman whom she got to be with for 25 wonderful years. Bart had one son, Bill Wightman, who was welcomed into the family. In the late 1970’s, she and Bart retired from the Post Office and moved to Panama Oklahoma where they lived their lives together serving the Lord at Poteau Valley Baptist, fishing, boating and visiting with all their children, grandchildren, great-grands and great-great-grands. Bart went to be with the Lord in 1993.
Dorothy was born at home in Milford, Texas on June 19, 1924 to Mary Lee and Oather Ray Farmer, the oldest of 5 girls. The Farmers were actual farmers and she knew the business end of a cotton sack from an early age. When she talked about picking cotton, she admitted to hiding behind her partially full cotton sack and using it as a backrest when she was tired of picking. When asked about her favorite childhood memory, she talked about galloping horse rides with her father. She graduated from Keller High School in Keller, Texas and married James Strickland. They had two daughters, Nelmalee and Julia. She then married Harold Keller and relocated to Perryton, Texas. They had five children: Danny, Burl, Vickie, Curtis & Rebecca. She relocated to Liberal, Kansas in 1959. Finally, she met and married the love of her life, Bart Wightman whom she got to be with for 25 wonderful years. Bart had one son, Bill Wightman, who was welcomed into the family. In the late 1970’s, she and Bart retired from the Post Office and moved to Panama Oklahoma where they lived their lives together serving the Lord at Poteau Valley Baptist, fishing, boating and visiting with all their children, grandchildren, great-grands and great-great-grands. Bart went to be with the Lord in 1993.
Dorothy was a fiercely loving Mother and her children meant the
world to her. She was hardworking woman
and a tireless servant for her church.
She could always be counted on to clean for services, cook for church
suppers, work the bus routes, weekly visitations, etc. Her church family was very important to her
and she attended 3 or more services every week.
In her spare time she enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing and remodeling
projects.
Dorothy was preceded in
death by her sister, Flossie Burns; half-sisters, Juno Farmer Hall & Fairy Nell Farmer Turner; half-brothers, Wendall Farmer & Earl Dean Farmer; her granddaughter, Pepper Dawn Keller;
Grandson, Chad Daniel Keller and great-grandson, Jared
Clifton Plunk.
She is survived by three sisters;
Modell (and Hugh) McKay of Ft. Worth, TX; Ruth Bussell of Hico, TX and
Rosemary (and Eddie) Teague of Ft. Worth, Texas. Her children: Nelmalee
Plunk of Oklahoma City, OK; Julia (and Gail) Flowers of
Independence, KS; Danny (and Dianna) Keller of Lawrence, KS; Burl (and
Jan) Keller of Turpin, OK; Vickie (and Dana) Hemphill of Bigfork, MT; Curtis
(and Carol) Keller of Ft. Smith Arkansas; Rebecca (and Milton) Nickel of
Polson, MT and Bill (and Marilyn) Wightman of Gilmer, TX; She leaves 14 grandchildren, 30 great
grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren.
(at last count)
A public viewing is scheduled at Evans Miller Funeral Home in Poteau on November 27th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
A public viewing is scheduled at Evans Miller Funeral Home in Poteau on November 27th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday
November 29, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at Poteau
Valley Baptist
Church with services by
Reverend Jim Parsley. Burial to follow
at the Fairview Cemetery, Panama, Oklahoma where she will be laid to rest beside her
beloved husband, James Barton Wightman.
Let me tell you about my mother-in-law. She was kind. SHE LOVED JESUS. She was funny. SHE LOVED JESUS. She could fix anything. She could be seen working on the roof or fixing a faucet. SHE LOVED JESUS. She could cook anything and it taste really good. SHE LOVED JESUS. She could sew anything. She really impressed me when she reupholstered her furniture. SHE LOVED JESUS. She was never ever ever mean to me, criticized me, or poked her nose in my business but always there with her gentle support. SHE LOVED JESUS. She was the best mother-in-law ever!!!!! Did I tell you? SHE LOVED JESUS.
ReplyDeleteDorothy, thank you for your example of how to live for Jesus. Love you always and forever! Jan
One more thing. She loved to fish! She would get up before everyone and get down to the water. She would hear us in the camper, put down her fishing pole. Come fix us breakfast. (mmm good breakfast) Clean up and be back to fishing before we would even be dressed! Amazing mother-in-law.
Oh she could hunt too. Burl had a really proud moment when his mother got the bird and none of the men who were hunting the same spot!!
Just a few words about my mother. Thanksgiving was always her favorite day of the year. She would shop and bake for weeks in preparation for this holiday! Most everyone would arrive on the night before Thanksgiving, and no matter what time you got in, you could count on a warm bowl of stew and cornbread. For 4 or 5 days, the house would be full of her beloved family and all their noise and laughter. She would wear herself out, cleaning, cooking and caring for her kids and grands and there were precious few hours when the house was completely still. IN spite of her fatigue, she always cried on Sunday when we'd set out for our travels home.
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories of Mother on this special holiday. I will always feel closest to her on Thanksgiving. What an appropriate time for her family to gather to tell her goodbye.