Shirley Ann Rains

Funeral services for lifelong Konawa resident Shirley Ann Rains were held Saturday, March 29, 2008 at Swearingen Funeral Chapel.

Burial followed at Vamoosa Cemetery. Arthur Carpitcher and Hershel Davis presided over the services. Rains, 59, passed away Thursday, March 27, 2008 at Carl Albert Indian Health Center in Ada.

She was born in Konawa on August 13, 1948 to David Rains and Mattie (Morgan) Rains. Rains was a loving homemaker who attended the Pentecostal Church of God.

She was a member of the Tallahassee Band.

Rains is preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Leroy and Eddie Rains.

She is survived by two daughters, Jody of Arkansas and Jerry Dean Cabler of Texas; two brothers, Charles Rains of Ravenden, Arkansas and Arthur Carpitcher of Konawa; two sisters, Chris Leatherman of Saginaw, Tex. and Rosalie Bounds of Konawa; numerous nieces, nephews and a host of other family members and friends.

She was also a special “Grandma” to Elijah, Malachi and Caleb.Casket bearers included Dale Hankins, Phillip Bentley, Jeremy Bounds, Jonathan Bounds, Ronnie Lundsford, Michael Johnson and Robert Walton.

Frances Pauline Harjo

Funeral services for lifelong Seminole County resident Frances Pauline Harjo were scheduled for Monday, April 16, 2008 at Spring Baptist Church in Sasakwa.

Burial followed at Davis Family Cemetery. Serviceswere under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home, with Reverends Joe Coon and Arthur Wayne Carpitcher officiating.

Harjo, 71, passed away Sunday morning, April 13, 2008 at her home in Konawa. She was born in Sasakwa on March 19, 1937 to George Wesley Harjo and Cora (Davis) Harjo.

Harjo was a member of Spring Baptist Church in Sasakwa. She was a loving homemaker, who worked for several years as a cook at New Horizon Nursing Home in Konawa. Harjo was a member of the Tallahassee Band.

She was preceded in death by her father and one son, Jeffrey Lee Harjo.

Surviving Francis Pauline Harjo are her husband, Carlee L. Harjo of the home; her mother, Cora Harjo of Sasakwa; four sons, Carl Lee Harjo, Terry Allen Harjo, Dale Robin Harjo and David Kevin Harjo, all of Sasakwa; two daughters, LaHome Jenice Harjo of Ada and Cecelia Julia Harjo of Konawa; one brother, Willie Harjo of Sasakwa; seven sisters, Kathryn Harjo and Wisey Harjo of Sasawka, Toni Harjo and Lucy Harjo of Wewoka, Amanda Gipson of Ada, Polly Owl of Stillwell and Jean Tecumseh of Henryetta; 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and an abundance of other family members and friends.

Harjo’s grandsons served as pallbearers for the service.

Robert W. Stewart

Funeral services for Wewoka resident Robert W. Stewart were held Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at the First Baptist Church in Seminole.

Burial took place at Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Shawnee, followed by a dinner at Indian Nations. Arrangements were under the direction of the Stout-Philips Funeral Home in Wewoka.

Stewart, 92, passed away Thursday, April 3, 2008 at his home in Wewoka. He was born October 15, 1915 in Spaulding to Albert and Nora Stewart of Wewoka. Stewart joined the Oklahoma National Guard Reserve/Medical Corp at the age of 16, and later relocated to California, where he worked for the Lockheed aerospace company for 37 years.

He married his wife Pauline on June 28, 1941 at Gretna Green Chapel in Yuma, Ariz.

Stewart was a licensed minister in Southgate, Calif. and an ordained deacon at First Indian Baptist Church. He served as deacon for Indian Nations in Seminole after his retirement from Lockheed. Stewart was Creek and Seminole, and a member of the Tom Palmer Band and Alligator Clan.

His parents; son, Courtney; daughter, Regina Paulette; two sisters, Dora Hawkins and Minnie Johnson; and three brothers, Thomas A., George, and William, preceded him in death.

Robert Stewart is survived by his wife Pauline Herrod Stewart of the home; two sons, Robert Jr. and Joseph; two daughters, Darlene Henneha and Alberta Morrow; 16 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, church family and friends.

Pallbearers included Jesse Caruso, Paul Stewart, Sam Caruso, Joseph Stewart, Jr., Lance Walker and Will Morrow.

Willis Woodrow Wilson

Willis Woodrow Wilson was born May 4, 1926 in Konawa, Oklahoma to the late Alice Wildcat and Garfield Wilson. He was a tribal member of the Tom Palmer band.

Willis received his early education in Sasakwa. At the age of 17, he entered WWII as a member of the Navy. He received his diploma from the Sacramento County Office of Education on June 1, 2004.

Willis discharged from the Navy at Port Chicago Navy Base in Martinez, California in 1946. Explosions on the naval ships left him with permanent disabilities. He turned to his love for gardening, farming and caring for family and friends.

He was a devoted deacon at Saint Mathew Baptist Church and became one of the founders of Saint Mark Missionary Baptist Church.

In 1990, Willis moved to California with his daughter and family. He loved to be around people, and attended several day programs with friends and activities to keep him busy. He loved to build things for his daughter and grandchildren.

Those who experienced their life with him will always remember Willis. A life overflowing with love came to a close on this earth, but started anew on Thursday, April 3, 2008 at Sutter General Hospital, where he went to meet the Lord.

Willis left behind to cherish his memories a son, Victor Wilson; a devoted daughter, Beverly Wilson; four step-children, Devokan McClead and Reletta Kilgore of Wewoka, Tommie Malone of Seminole and Patricia Holloway of Oklahoma City; three grandchildren, Elrather Wilson, Ayesha Wilson and Enaudea Wilson of Sacramento, Calif.; one step-grandson, Ivan Kilgore of Folsom, Calif.; five great-grandchildren, D’Amani Wilson of Newark, Calif., Zeanna Wilson, Amani Wilson, Nathaniel Wilson and Alicea Wilson of Sacramento, Calif.; two surviving ex-spouses, Elzora Fry and Mabel Fisher of Oklahoma City; and three godchildren, Lavonna Doakes of Norman, Joy Jeffries of San Francisco, Calif. and Tamar Williams of Sacramento, Calif.