Wilma N. Costner Ervin Lee, age 91, of Poteau, was born
July 10, 1927 in Panama, Ok to Elbert
L. and Jewel Costner. She passed away Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at Mercy
Hospice
Center in Fort Smith, Ar.
Wilma was a retired educator and social worker. She obtained
her Bachelor of Education, following
in the footsteps of her parents, from the University of Oklahoma at Norman. She
taught
English, as well as other subjects, at several schools throughout Oklahoma
before
moving
to California, where she became a social worker for the County of Orange. She
retired from
social work in 1988 and returned to Oklahoma. After retirement, she became
employed by
the state of Oklahoma as a part-time teacher with the POWER 1 program teaching
English and
life skills from 1997-2015.
Wilma was a member of First Baptist Church of Poteau where
she taught Sunday School classes
for many years. She was a member of Poteau Alumni Association, Women's League, LeFlore
County Historical Society, and LeFlore County Democratic Party.
She
is survived by her son, Jim E. Ervin and wife Judy of Poteau, granddaughters
Susan Ice and
husband Bill of Wylie, TX, Shelley Grier and husband Ken of Mission Viejo, CA,
Kathryn Morehouse
and husband Jeff of Las Flores, CA, Nicole Yelverton and husband R.J. Of Siloam Springs,
AR, and brother, Clay Costner of Whittier, CA. She is also survived by 17 great grandchildren,
step-daughters, Susan and Becky, and Sister-in-law, Noma Curtis and husband Charles,
as well as numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, and a host of friends and
loved ones.
She is preceded in death by her second husband, James Lee,
first husband, Jim D. Ervin, father
of son, Jim E. Ervin, her parents, Elbert L. and Jewel Costner, sisters, Wanda
Gammell and
Winona Selkirk and husband Larry, as well as step-son, James Lee II and
sister-in-law, Ramona
Mitchell.
Her family and friends will remember her love of OU
Football, her gentle and kind-hearted words,
her ability to see the beauty in all things, love of nature, and desire to
always put others’ needs
before her own.
Please join her family for a visitation at Evans &
Miller Funeral Home in Poteau, on Thursday, November
1st from 6:00-8:00 pm to share memories and love of Wilma. Services to be determined at a later date.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers you
consider a donation to the LeFlore County Museum in memory of Wilma.
