Winnie Mae Yandell was born on February 4, 1936, at her home in Non, Oklahoma, to Perry Alva Vance and Pearl Pauline (Montgomery) Vance. She passed from this life on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 87 years. She was raised and educated in Non, but moved to Delano, California her senior year and graduated with the Delano High School Class of 1954. She was married on February 12, 1956, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to DeArthur Yandell. Winnie went back to school and earned her associate degree from the College of Sequoias in Visalia, California. She worked as a hearings and claims administrator for the Social Security Administration for a number of years, but served over 53 years as a pastor's wife and moved to various Free Will Baptist churches between Oklahoma and California. Winnie taught many classes and was sought out as a source for church history and doctrine. She was an accomplished pianist and in her spare time she enjoyed studying genealogy and quilting, but she especially loved spending time with her family.
She is survived by two sons, nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchild. (Their names are being withheld for privacy.)
She was preceded in death by her parents, Perry and Pearl, husband, DeArthur, two brothers, Lloyds and Wayne, sister, Leota, daughter-in-law, Leann, and her son, Randall.
A visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at Mowery Funeral Service in Owasso. Funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 5, 2023, at Cornerstone Free Will Baptist Church in Owasso. Graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m. at Non Cemetery in Non, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Winnie's memory to Getsemani Children's Home – Bud Bivens, 338 N. Monroe PMB 359, Eagle Pass, TX 78852. [from Mowery Funeral Service online obituary]

Winnie and I "met" online over 20 years ago as we were both avidly researching the Vance family. I regret that we were never able to meet in person.