Melba Jean Birkes

January 3, 1929 - August 22, 2010

Melba Jean Birkes of Chouteau, Oklahoma, passed away on Sunday, August 22, 2010. She was the daughter of Columbus Austin Goddard and Rena Tate Goddard and was born in Broken Bow, Oklahoma on January 3, 1929. Jean attended the University of Arkansas and graduated from the University of Tulsa. Prior to her retirement in 1977, Jean was a social studies teacher in the Tulsa Public Schools system.   She lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Borger, Texas before moving to Chouteau. Jean is survived by her husband B. R. â??Peteâ? Birkes; her sister and brother-in-law Mary and Paul Marsh; her sisters-in-law Dorothy Goddard and Alice Goddard; her children and their spouses Robert and Jaqueline Stone Gum of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Peggy and Ed Erwin of Houston, Texas, Karen and Mark Benson of Houston, Texas and David and Lori Ann Gum of Downerâ??s Grove, Illinois; her stepchildren J. R. and  Georgianna Birkes of Grove, Oklahoma, James and Diane Birkes of Davis, Oklahoma and Raylene and Monty Hackler of Grove, Oklahoma;   5 grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren;   5 step-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews and other loving family and friends.   Jean was preceded in death by her husband Earl R. Gum; her parents Austin and Rena Goddard and four brothers Herbert, Hugh, Woody and Kenneth Goddard. Visitation will be held from 2:00~9:00 pm on Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at Floral Haven Funeral Home, 6500 S. 129th E. Ave., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.  Funeral Services  will be held at 10 am on Thursday, August 26, 2010 at Chouteau United Methodist Church, 104 South Hayden Street ,Chouteau, Oklahoma with graveside service to follow at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens. Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Chouteau United Methodist Church,  PO Box 605, Chouteau, OK 74337, or the Scleroderma Foundation at www.Scheroderma.org.