Virginia Mae Lewis Gilbert was born on February 21, 1927 in Adair Oklahoma to Herman Bland & Eureka Mae Jacob Lewis. She passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of February 5, 2020 at the age of 92.
In 1940, at the age of 13, she and some friends from the Adair Christian Church were baptized together in Rock Creek, east of Adair. Later, she became a member of the Adair Methodist Church. She currently attended church services at Heartsworth House Senior Living Center every Sunday and every time someone was there to give a message or sing.
After graduating Adair High School in 1945, she worked at Gatewood’s Drug Store in Pryor from 1945-1952. She moved to Vinita in 1952 when she was 25 and went to work at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Virginia enjoyed reminiscing on the days where she and the switchboard operators lived together in apartments on Miller Street. She worked there until 1963 when she left to start her family. She could talk for hours telling stories of her drug store and switchboard days and the people she worked with and met.
She married Ray Gilbert on July 20, 1962 in Miami, Oklahoma. Ray had a young son and Virginia raised him as her own. Together, they had a daughter Sharon and son John. She was a stay at home mom and homemaker raising her children and later babysitting her granddaughters. In 1986 she went to work as the Janitor at Phoenix Federal S&L, now Arvest Bank. She retired from there in 2003 after 17 years.
Virginia and Ray made their home on South Thompson Street where she lived until 2015 when she went to live at Heartsworth House Assisted Living until January of 2019. She then became a resident of the Heartsworth House Senior Living Center in Vinita where she currently lived. She loved all of the staff and residents at both homes and had made them all family. Also included in her staff family was her care team at CURA Hospice.
She was a very hard worker even as a young child and she always loved helping neighbors. She loved to crochet and cook and wanted to feed her family but also anyone who was hungry. She is known for her famous Chocolate Sheet Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies and her beautiful handwriting. She will be missed by everyone that loved her.
Virginia is survived by her daughter, Sharon Collins and husband Mike, son John Gilbert and son Donnie Gilbert all of Vinita. Her granddaughters, Kati Morrison and husband Jesse of Tahlequah and Audrey Fenoughty and husband Colby of Welch. Her two great granddaughters, Anna Grace Morrison and Ava Mae Fenoughty. One cousin, Neppie Wallace and husband Marvin of Claremore. Others that she called her children, Kelly Kanmore Gaines and Timara Galvin Meeks. Many nieces, nephews and special lifelong friends, but none more special than Mrs. Betty Stevens.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ray in 1998, her parents, sister Mildred Lewis, brother Walter Lewis and wife Goldie, brothers and sisters in law, Bill and Maxine Gilbert, Roy and Bernice Miller, Bob and Wilene Gilbert and Eldon and Margaret Williams.
The family will receive friends from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2020 at the Burckhalter-Highsmith Chapel in Vinita.
The celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Leland Bartlett and Pastor Justin Turner officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Vinita. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are under the care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Service of Vinita.
In 1940, at the age of 13, she and some friends from the Adair Christian Church were baptized together in Rock Creek, east of Adair. Later, she became a member of the Adair Methodist Church. She currently attended church services at Heartsworth House Senior Living Center every Sunday and every time someone was there to give a message or sing.
After graduating Adair High School in 1945, she worked at Gatewood’s Drug Store in Pryor from 1945-1952. She moved to Vinita in 1952 when she was 25 and went to work at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Virginia enjoyed reminiscing on the days where she and the switchboard operators lived together in apartments on Miller Street. She worked there until 1963 when she left to start her family. She could talk for hours telling stories of her drug store and switchboard days and the people she worked with and met.
She married Ray Gilbert on July 20, 1962 in Miami, Oklahoma. Ray had a young son and Virginia raised him as her own. Together, they had a daughter Sharon and son John. She was a stay at home mom and homemaker raising her children and later babysitting her granddaughters. In 1986 she went to work as the Janitor at Phoenix Federal S&L, now Arvest Bank. She retired from there in 2003 after 17 years.
Virginia and Ray made their home on South Thompson Street where she lived until 2015 when she went to live at Heartsworth House Assisted Living until January of 2019. She then became a resident of the Heartsworth House Senior Living Center in Vinita where she currently lived. She loved all of the staff and residents at both homes and had made them all family. Also included in her staff family was her care team at CURA Hospice.
She was a very hard worker even as a young child and she always loved helping neighbors. She loved to crochet and cook and wanted to feed her family but also anyone who was hungry. She is known for her famous Chocolate Sheet Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies and her beautiful handwriting. She will be missed by everyone that loved her.
Virginia is survived by her daughter, Sharon Collins and husband Mike, son John Gilbert and son Donnie Gilbert all of Vinita. Her granddaughters, Kati Morrison and husband Jesse of Tahlequah and Audrey Fenoughty and husband Colby of Welch. Her two great granddaughters, Anna Grace Morrison and Ava Mae Fenoughty. One cousin, Neppie Wallace and husband Marvin of Claremore. Others that she called her children, Kelly Kanmore Gaines and Timara Galvin Meeks. Many nieces, nephews and special lifelong friends, but none more special than Mrs. Betty Stevens.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ray in 1998, her parents, sister Mildred Lewis, brother Walter Lewis and wife Goldie, brothers and sisters in law, Bill and Maxine Gilbert, Roy and Bernice Miller, Bob and Wilene Gilbert and Eldon and Margaret Williams.
The family will receive friends from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2020 at the Burckhalter-Highsmith Chapel in Vinita.
The celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Leland Bartlett and Pastor Justin Turner officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Vinita. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are under the care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Service of Vinita.
Virginia Mae Lewis Gilbert was born on February 21, 1927 in Adair Oklahoma to Herman Bland & Eureka Mae Jacob Lewis. She passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of February 5, 2020 at the age of 92.
In 1940, at the age of 13, she and some friends from the Adair Christian Church were baptized together in Rock Creek, east of Adair. Later, she became a member of the Adair Methodist Church. She currently attended church services at Heartsworth House Senior Living Center every Sunday and every time someone was there to give a message or sing.
After graduating Adair High School in 1945, she worked at Gatewood’s Drug Store in Pryor from 1945-1952. She moved to Vinita in 1952 when she was 25 and went to work at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Virginia enjoyed reminiscing on the days where she and the switchboard operators lived together in apartments on Miller Street. She worked there until 1963 when she left to start her family. She could talk for hours telling stories of her drug store and switchboard days and the people she worked with and met.
She married Ray Gilbert on July 20, 1962 in Miami, Oklahoma. Ray had a young son and Virginia raised him as her own. Together, they had a daughter Sharon and son John. She was a stay at home mom and homemaker raising her children and later babysitting her granddaughters. In 1986 she went to work as the Janitor at Phoenix Federal S&L, now Arvest Bank. She retired from there in 2003 after 17 years.
Virginia and Ray made their home on South Thompson Street where she lived until 2015 when she went to live at Heartsworth House Assisted Living until January of 2019. She then became a resident of the Heartsworth House Senior Living Center in Vinita where she currently lived. She loved all of the staff and residents at both homes and had made them all family. Also included in her staff family was her care team at CURA Hospice.
She was a very hard worker even as a young child and she always loved helping neighbors. She loved to crochet and cook and wanted to feed her family but also anyone who was hungry. She is known for her famous Chocolate Sheet Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies and her beautiful handwriting. She will be missed by everyone that loved her.
Virginia is survived by her daughter, Sharon Collins and husband Mike, son John Gilbert and son Donnie Gilbert all of Vinita. Her granddaughters, Kati Morrison and husband Jesse of Tahlequah and Audrey Fenoughty and husband Colby of Welch. Her two great granddaughters, Anna Grace Morrison and Ava Mae Fenoughty. One cousin, Neppie Wallace and husband Marvin of Claremore. Others that she called her children, Kelly Kanmore Gaines and Timara Galvin Meeks. Many nieces, nephews and special lifelong friends, but none more special than Mrs. Betty Stevens.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ray in 1998, her parents, sister Mildred Lewis, brother Walter Lewis and wife Goldie, brothers and sisters in law, Bill and Maxine Gilbert, Roy and Bernice Miller, Bob and Wilene Gilbert and Eldon and Margaret Williams.
The family will receive friends from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2020 at the Burckhalter-Highsmith Chapel in Vinita.
The celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Leland Bartlett and Pastor Justin Turner officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Vinita. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are under the care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Service of Vinita.
In 1940, at the age of 13, she and some friends from the Adair Christian Church were baptized together in Rock Creek, east of Adair. Later, she became a member of the Adair Methodist Church. She currently attended church services at Heartsworth House Senior Living Center every Sunday and every time someone was there to give a message or sing.
After graduating Adair High School in 1945, she worked at Gatewood’s Drug Store in Pryor from 1945-1952. She moved to Vinita in 1952 when she was 25 and went to work at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Virginia enjoyed reminiscing on the days where she and the switchboard operators lived together in apartments on Miller Street. She worked there until 1963 when she left to start her family. She could talk for hours telling stories of her drug store and switchboard days and the people she worked with and met.
She married Ray Gilbert on July 20, 1962 in Miami, Oklahoma. Ray had a young son and Virginia raised him as her own. Together, they had a daughter Sharon and son John. She was a stay at home mom and homemaker raising her children and later babysitting her granddaughters. In 1986 she went to work as the Janitor at Phoenix Federal S&L, now Arvest Bank. She retired from there in 2003 after 17 years.
Virginia and Ray made their home on South Thompson Street where she lived until 2015 when she went to live at Heartsworth House Assisted Living until January of 2019. She then became a resident of the Heartsworth House Senior Living Center in Vinita where she currently lived. She loved all of the staff and residents at both homes and had made them all family. Also included in her staff family was her care team at CURA Hospice.
She was a very hard worker even as a young child and she always loved helping neighbors. She loved to crochet and cook and wanted to feed her family but also anyone who was hungry. She is known for her famous Chocolate Sheet Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies and her beautiful handwriting. She will be missed by everyone that loved her.
Virginia is survived by her daughter, Sharon Collins and husband Mike, son John Gilbert and son Donnie Gilbert all of Vinita. Her granddaughters, Kati Morrison and husband Jesse of Tahlequah and Audrey Fenoughty and husband Colby of Welch. Her two great granddaughters, Anna Grace Morrison and Ava Mae Fenoughty. One cousin, Neppie Wallace and husband Marvin of Claremore. Others that she called her children, Kelly Kanmore Gaines and Timara Galvin Meeks. Many nieces, nephews and special lifelong friends, but none more special than Mrs. Betty Stevens.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ray in 1998, her parents, sister Mildred Lewis, brother Walter Lewis and wife Goldie, brothers and sisters in law, Bill and Maxine Gilbert, Roy and Bernice Miller, Bob and Wilene Gilbert and Eldon and Margaret Williams.
The family will receive friends from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2020 at the Burckhalter-Highsmith Chapel in Vinita.
The celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Leland Bartlett and Pastor Justin Turner officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Vinita. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are under the care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Service of Vinita.
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