The German Wassoms and the Cherokee McDaniels came together on Grand River where a little Cherokee girl fell in love with a boy of German descent, Roy Wassom. They would rear seven lovely children together in a little cabin built on an allotment on the banks of Clear Creek. Among these seven were six girls and a boy, Roy "Robert" or "Bob" Wassom, born on February 15, 1929. His dad, like many of that time and in that area, made a living trading, farming and selling pretty much anything to scrape out a living for the family. Growing up hunting, fishing, farming and working to put food on the table, Robert Wassom has worked most of his life to provide a better life for his loved ones, only expecting one thing in return, and that was acceptance and love. His Cherokee heritage has been a most important side of his life. The calm of his Cherokee mother, Mona "Pokey" McDaniel Wassom, is what carried his family through many tough times. Her hard work, love and ability to cook, can and preserve almost anything God put on earth always pulled them through, along with her strong faith in the Lord above. When Robert was about 15 the government decided the Indian children needed to go to schools that could help with their etiquette and training, in order to socialize them. Robert's sister always referred to this as "finishing school at Chilloco". It was mandatory that he go, and so he was transported to Chilloco, and to everyone's amazement, Robert nearly beat them back home not once but twice. Well, after that Robert decided he would go to live with his Uncle Buzz out in California at age 16. Uncle Buzz helped put him to work at a machine shop and grain elevator where he was lifting 100 pound sacks of feed and loading the big California hay bales from the conveyor. When he came home from California Bob was so proud to show off those muscles to all the uncles, with waging on who he could wrestle down! Robert fell in love with a girl from Council Hill, Oklahoma, Wanda Mae Carpenter. She became Mrs. Robert Wassom on April 1, 1950, and together, for many years, they made a home wherever road construction took them. Then, in the early sixties ,they gathered together enough money and courage to purchase a farm south of Wagoner near a creek, like the one near Grand River, where they made a loving home for three wonderful boys. In rearing these boys, Bob had two main rules: No smoking and No motorcycle riding! Robert worked for Lake Region Electric Rural Cooperative from the late 60's until he finally retired at age 65. During those years with Lake Region it was of Robert's utmost importance that he made sure the folks of Northeast Oklahoma had working electric service through wind, rain or snow. Working through many storm outages and enduring the roughest Oklahoma weather, he went out on call anytime he was called upon, working long hard hours with his work companions until the job was complete. During bad ice storms, even when not on call, he would still go and try to find the problem area, all the while having Wanda's full support in making a home, keeping all his uniforms immaculately pressed, and taking outage phone calls, along with any farm duties he missed. She had them covered. Together they made a perfect team. At one point in the 60's and 70's Robert and Wanda had a hog farrowing operation that had about thirty sow crates, which produced approximately 180 pigs during farrowing. This was another money making project! After retirement Robert continued raising registered Limousin cattle, registered quarter horse racing horses and gardening on his small acreage, all with the help of Wanda. Robert prided himself in having raised his champion race horse and continued enjoying racing for many years to come. He actually loved his running ponies a little too much to ever make a profit! Not always making the smartest of decisions, Robert had a mind of his own on how to do things. One time got the idea to use a little dynamite to blow a few holes around and old apple tree so he could get the fertilizer down to the root. He tried a little and it didn't do much, so he added a little more… KaBOOM! There went the whole apple tree! Anyone who ever spoke with Robert knew he had three of the best looking, smartest boys in Wagoner, and he always said, "They all took after me!" He said this up until the day he no longer could. Even the EMSA driver that admitted him to the hospital one night mentioned it as they wheeled him through the door. He dearly loved playing cards with friends, children and grandchildren. But as we all know, Lori was always his favorite! Then he would say, "No I love them all, and they are a pretty bunch." Whether it was playing Wahoo, checking out dead dogs in the pasture, riding the bull or having fun shaking the apple tree with kids under it, dodging the pain of hard falling apples, Robert was in his element if all his children and grandchildren were near him. Church has always been an important part of the Wassom family. Mother Mona made sure all her children knew right from wrong, encouraged church and respect for the elders. The tradition has carried throughout with Wanda getting her boys ready for church at the Methodist Church when they were little and always trying to instill right from wrong and much respect, as taught in the Bible. Robert and Wanda currently attended Maple Park Christian Church, where for many years he was proud to help mow and maintain the lot at the church and help with any workdays there. He also served as a Deacon there for many years. Robert loved to visit and care for those who needed help. He would take those that were ill to their doctor's appointments or anywhere they needed to go or help fill their needs in any way, delivering many meals that Wanda prepared for them as well. In the last year Robert was no longer able to attend church service and regularly mentioned to Wanda how much he missed his church family. In around 2007 Robert decided it was time to retire to town with his sweet Wanda, where they have made their home until now. When in July 2013 it became time to accept assistance for care with the confusion of Alzheimer's, his family carefully selected a place where they felt he could have the care, encouragement and love offered by caring caregivers, to allow him a safe and loving environment. Robert passed this life on September 1, 2013 at Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah, to his heavenly home to be with sisters Lon DeMonte and Juanita Smith, mother Mona and father Roy.

Beautiful obituary!