Wessie Irene Suttle's Obituary
A favorite family story of how Wessie Irene came to be born in Oklahoma April 16, 1909, is that Wessie Irene’s mother, Louella McGhee Zachary, during the Westward migrations, had moved from Virginia to Texas and then to Chickasha, Oklahoma Territory, and at age 27, worked for the Chickasha newspaper. In a government land grant lottery held at El Reno, Oklahoma Territory in 1900, Louella drew the winning number for a 160 acre tract of land near the community of Cement, Oklahoma Territory. Wessie Irene’s father, Luman Zachary had come from Georgia to Texas, then to the Chickasha area where he married Louella in 1901. After they had “proved the land” the land grant was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. Wessie Irene’s parents, being of pure “pioneer stock”, lived in a tent, while building a log cabin, then a two story home at a cost of $500.00 for labor and materials. That home where Wessie Irene was born in 1909 is still in existence. She graduated from Cement High School and later attended Central State Teachers College at Edmond. She has led a busy life being a homemaker, owning a photography studio, owning food services, and retired in 1967. Always liking to stay busy, her hobbies and interest have included church and Bible study, crocheting, yard flowers, ceramics, costume bead jewelry, picture albums, fishing, and travel throughout the United States and Canada for as long as she could. Her greatest and most exciting joys and memories have been holidays with family and birthday gatherings. As she grew older, she always has wanted a picture of herself with a birthday cake and candles to mark the year. Two of her favorite childhood memories were at age 16 having her first banana split at Ketchum, OK, and learning to drive a Model T Ford out on the farm in Cement, OK. Her long life had been lived not only at Cement and Edmond, but also Oklahoma City, Lawton, Anadarko, Ardmore, Wewoka, Antlers, Ponca City, El Reno, Cleveland, Tulsa, and lastly Owasso. The start of Wessie Irene’s five generations was that from her first marriage to Otis E. Black came two sons, Larry Black of Tulsa (wife Billie Kathryn) and David Black (wife Cami) of LaBrea, CA. Son Larry and Billie Kathryn continued her lineage with their son Stanley and their daughter Laura. From Laura came the fourth generation Amanda; from Amanda came forth the fifth generation, Caroline, Jacob, Liam and Eli- all of the Tulsa and Broken Arrow areas. She attributes her long life to it “being in her genes” as she has said, eating right, living a clean life, helping people as the opportunity arises, and attending church as many years as you can.
What’s your fondest memory of Wessie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Wessie?
Share a story where Wessie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Wessie you’ll never forget.
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