Beverly Ann Weldon

Beverly Ann Weldon passed away on Good Friday, April 18, 2014 at her home in Tulsa at the age of seventy-four years, ten months and eleven days. Ann was born on June 7, 1939 in Pawhuska, Oklahoma; the third of five children of Claude Washington Hammons and Opal Etna Morgan. When Ann was six years old, her father died suddenly leaving her mother to raised her five children alone. Ann was raised and attended school in Hominy, graduating from Hominy High School in 1957. After graduating from high school, Ann married her high school sweetheart John Weldon at the First Baptist Church in Cleveland on August 10, 1957. The couple made their initial home in Cleveland in a small garage apartment as John was soon to be inducted into the service of this country in the United States Army on January 31, 1958. While John was stationed in Germany, Ann gave birth to their fist child, Rhonda. When John returned from his military service following his honorable discharge, the young family made their home in Tulsa, purchasing their own home in November of 1962, just in time for the birth of their son Brett the following February. For nearly a year following Brettís birth, Ann was a stay-at-home mom but in need of additional family income, Ann went to work full-time. She worked for many years in the insurance industry, retiring in 2001 from her position as an assistant vice-president at Bailey, Martin & Fay, at the time the largest commercial insurance underwriter in the world. The following year, she began working for CFR, with over thirty years experience in various aspects of insurance. Ten of those years she earned her background in personal and commercial lines as a claims technical supervisor. She had over twenty years experience as a commercial lines customer service representative and account manager on various-sized insurance accounts. Ann assisted the Account Managers in verifying that clientís policies have been issued according to instructions given to the insurance company underwriters. She was a licensed agent for Property and Casualty insurance in the State of Oklahoma. Ann attained her Certified Professional Insurance Women (CPIW) designation in 1978 after completing the Insurance Institute of America (IIA) courses and successfully completed the requirements for Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and received her designation in 1979. Ann greatly enjoyed working for CFR and they treated her with great love and kindness during Johnís long illness, allowing her to work from home while she took care of him. When John died on June 17, 2008, the couple had been married for almost fifty-one years. Ann loved to travel but John liked to stay homeóuntil she forced him to go somewhere. They were great traveling companions and upon return home, John would brag about the places they had been and the things they had seen. She was known to her family and friends at ìThe Little General.î She loved planning gatherings, and gave each event the same attention to detail. She always knew exactly how to organize functions and make everyone comfortable; and she could be a little pushy about it, hence, ìThe Little General.î Family was always important to Ann. As a young family, the Weldonís often enjoyed camping trips which where shared with Annís mom and sisters; Joyce, Alice and Sharon and their families. Although she only brought two children home from the hospital, she became a mother to many more and shared her love and compassion with friends and family alike. All her life, ìThe Little Generalî made the magic happen. And now she is reunited with John and her loved ones who have made the journey before her. No doubt she is planning a big party in Heaven. Ann is survived by her daughter, Rhonda Weldon and husband, Eric Johnson of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and a son, Brett Weldon of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her husband, Ann was preceded in death by her parents Claude and Opal Hammons; a brother, Robert Hammons and a sister, Joyce Wicks. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at Chapman-Black Funeral Home with Gene Black officiating. Following cremation, Ann will be entombed at the Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland, Oklahoma.