Delia Christeene ''Sis'' Parrish

Delia Christeene Cooper was born February 22, 1906 in the Rock Island Depot, Fort Cobb, Indian Territory. She was the daughter of Ben F. and Florence Huey Cooper. She was known to her family as ''Sis''.

In her early childhood, her family settled in Caddo County, near Anadarko, Sis attended Anadarko Public Schools and graduated from high school in 1925. She learned telegraphy after graduation and was initially hired by Western Union in Claremore and then later transferred to Purcell, Oklahoma in 1927.

Sis was married to Walter Moore Parrish on March 14, 1927 in Lexington, Oklahoma. The couple established their initial home in Purcell but moved to Cleveland, Oklahoma on January 1, 1928. The couple had one daughter, Wanda and have continued to call Cleveland home throughout their seventy five years of marriage.

While residing in Cleveland, Sis worked in numerous capacities. Sis and Walt operated the Arlington Hotel for many years and then she accepted employment with the Cleveland American. Sis later helped to start and was employed by the library as librarian for nearly twenty-five years.

Walt and Sis where honored as Cleveland's Outstanding Citizens a few years ago and received a citation from the Governor of Oklahoma. Sis had several hobbies but her favorite was making something out of nothing. She was a longtime and faithful member of the First United Methodist Church in Cleveland.

Sis passed away on Friday, March 8, 2002 at the Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa at the age of ninety-six years and sixteen days. By her side at the time of her death was her loving great-granddaughter, Jennifer Groom. She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Benny, Charlie and Bus; and two sisters, Florence and Dorothy.

She is survived by her husband, Walter Moore Parrish, of the home; daughter, Wanda Groom of Carlsbad, California; two grandsons and their wives, Garry and Robbie Groom, Owasso, Oklahoma, Terry and Theresa Groom, Fort Worth, Texas; granddaughter and her husband, Mikey and Peter Ragan, Carlsbad, California; great-grandson, Garry Parrish Groom, Jr., Owasso, Oklahoma; four great-granddaughters, Kristi Groom , Owasso, Oklahoma, Jennifer Groom, Owasso, Oklahoma, Carlye Groom, Dallas, Texas, and Lindsey Groom, Fort Worth, Texas; two great great-grandsons and a sister, Doris Naney of Marble Falls, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am, Monday, March 11, 2002 at the Chapel of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home in Cleveland, Oklahoma with Rev. George Boston officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit an online guestbook and obituary for Delia ''Sis'' Parrish at www.chapman-black.com.''