Jesse B. Geren's Obituary
Jesse Geren, a long time resident of Broken Arrow, past from this life on June 20th, 2015 at the age of 100. Jesse was born January 25th, 1915, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to Wyoming and Luther Monroe Geren. He grew up with sisters Stella, Deloris, Pauline and Ruby as well as brothers Olen, Omer and Leon. They were always a farm family living in various locations around Broken Arrow until moving in to town in 1937. Jesse was the last surviving member of that family.It was always a hard life on the farm while Jesse was growing up, and he spent many days as a boy plowing with horses or mules and performing other chores along with his sisters and brothers. His mother would sometimes hear him singing while plowing, and because his father was chronically ill, he sometimes performed other jobs away from home. In 1933, at the age of 18, he drove a team of horses for a construction crew that was widening 11th Street between Harvard and Yale in Tulsa. He remembered that in 1933 there was only one store on 11th Street at that location.In 1937 Jesse married Sarah Elizabeth (Betty) Blythe. She was his companion for 73 years and together they had one son, Dewayne. Jesse served in the U.S. Army as a Military Policeman during WWII and throughout 1953 and 44, helped guard many German prisoners being brought to the U.S. as prisoners of war. After the war Jesse worked at many odd jobs and eventually became a truck mechanic. During the 50’s he built, with his own hands, a home for his family and a truck garage in which he performed his trade. In the 60’s his sister Ruby got him interested in cooking and restaurant ownership, and he subsequently opened Geren’s Restaurant at the corner of 11th Street and Memorial in 1967. He loved cooking for people, was always the chief cook and bottle washer in the kitchen, and due to his consistently delicious food had a thriving restaurant business until he retired in 1985. He still enjoyed cooking, even in retirement, and especially enjoyed making pies and fried chicken. He also enjoyed restoring antique cars, and especially enjoyed driving his 57 Thunderbird convertible in the Rooster Day Parade with one of the beauty queens sitting on the back.Jesse is survived by Dewayne and Suzi Geren of Tulsa as well as 4 grandchildren: Staff Sgt. Joshua Geren, currently stationed in Korea, Noah Geren of Tulsa, Jeremy Geren of Nashville, Tennessee, and Elizabeth Russell currently living in Fort Carson, Colorado. He is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews. His wife, Betty passed away in 2010.Visitation will be held 4:00 p.m. ~ 8:00 p.m., Sunday, June 28, 2015, Floral Haven Funeral Home Visitation Room, 6500 S. 129th E Avenue, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.A celebration of life service will be held 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 29, 2015, Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel, 6500 S 129th E Avenue, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
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