Norma Verline Coonce's Obituary
Norma Verline Coonce
September 17, 1924
February 3, 2026
Verline Mabray Coonce was born to Lee and Della Day Mabray on Beaver Mountain in Haskell County on September 17, 1924. Norma Verline Coonce passed away peacefully at home on February 3, 2026, surrounded by her caretakers and loved ones at the incredible age of 101.
Verline was a woman of the earth. She lived in a three-room house built by her grandfather Alonzo Mabray. This modest home, shared with her grandfather, parents, at least one or two sisters and two brothers, gave a new meaning to tiny home. The family provided for their basic needs by raising crops and animals. The daughters took Verline on a road trip in October to see her childhood home. She attended a two-room school until eighth grade. The school building, built with the help of her father on a WPA project, was still standing a few years ago. She attended high school in Stigler through half of her junior year.
Verline grew-up during The Great Depression, learning and living a life of thrift. Natalie once interviewed her grandmother for a history assignment on the depression. Natalie was unsure of how to write her interview until she realized that grandma was so poor that the depression did not really impact her life.
She married Ferral Coonce, September 23, 1944, after accepting his proposal while they were drawing water from the well. Preceding her in death are Ferral Coonce, granddaughter Georgia Parker, and grandson Jody Adams. Verline was the last surviving of seven Mabray children. Verline is survived by Carol and Joe Adams of Bristow, Linda and Wayne Parker of Jenks, and Denise Johnson of Tulsa, grandchildren Leia and Eric Mitchell, Annye and Mark Newman, Marlo and Jay Turner, Natalie and Mick Clark, Lauren and Brian Palmer, Geoffrey and Emily Johnson, Brandon and Kelly Johnson and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Verline and Ferral raised produce in the early years of marriage. In later years, they raised cattle, grew crops of hay, grain, and Bermuda grass. In the 1950s the Coonce family was named “Farm Family of the Year”. Verline was the hay bailer. One of the jobs in bailing was to use scales to pick up the bail of hay to check the weight. Sixty-five pounds was the approximate goal per bail. Think about lifting that several times a day.
Verline was an excellent cook, sharing that talent with her daughters and grandchildren. She was a fine seamstress, teaching all her girls to sew. Perfection was always the goal when she was your teacher. She participated in Home Demonstration Club, was home room mother and an active band parent, supporting Linda and Denise.
Marlo shared this, “She taught me the names of the trees on her property, and I can still name most of them. She loved her vacation property in Colorado and loved fishing. When I last saw her, we played her old records of country music, and she asked me and my cousin to dance for her. As children, we would make up dances, and she was a wonderful audience member cheering us on. I also remember helping in her large garden and learning about vegetables and how they grew. For a bit, they had some pigs on the farm. They sent one to slaughter to be processed for food. I was distraught when the meat returned, and she was making sausage for breakfast.”
Leia described her this way, “She let us explore the farm and play outside until we inevitably got into mischief, and without fail, she’d somehow be standing right behind us, catching us being ornery every time. Grandma taught me so much—gardening, canning, sewing, mowing, and farming—and I cherished every moment spent by her side. There was nothing more peaceful than looking up at the bright stars at the farm or ranch with her, feeling completely safe just because she was there. Whether we were fishing, hiking, or driving a truck on the farm for Grandpa, that feeling of home she gave me is one I hope to pass on to my own grandchildren someday.”
What we all learned from my mother on how to reach 101, was you need to stay active, eat healthy and use all the determination you can to achieve your daily goals.
Webcasting is available at the following link:
Webcasting
What’s your fondest memory of Norma?
What’s a lesson you learned from Norma?
Share a story where Norma's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Norma you’ll never forget.
How did Norma make you smile?
