Gladys Roxie Harbeston

Services for Gladys Roxie Harbeston will be held 10:00 am Tuesday, December 3, 2013, at Chapman-Black Funeral Home Chapel with Gene Black officiating. Burial will follow in the Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland, Oklahoma under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home. Gladys was born May 24, 1914, Peggs, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Jesse Franklin and Nancy Jane (Franks) Smithee. The year Gladys Roxey Smithee Harbeston was born World War I had just started, bread cost $.06, Joe DiMaggio was born and Woodrow Wilson was President. As a young girl Gladys grew up and attended school in the Peggs area. On March 1, 1930, in Keifer, Oklahoma, Gladys married the love of her life, Leo Harbeston, at age 15 and raised three children, Harold, Kurma and Toby, through the Great Depression with no electricity or running water in different oil boom towns across Oklahoma. The couple established their initial home in Glenpool where they remained until 1946. In 1946, Gladys and Leo moved to Shidler, Oklahoma then to Cleveland before moving to Altus, Oklahoma. During their time in Altus, Gladys worked at a local clothing store. In 1970, Gladys and Leo returned to Cleveland where she has continued to reside. In early 2000, Gladys moved to the Baptist Village and just loved the new environment of having friends around to visit with. Gladys was a lady that enjoyed shopping. She especially enjoyed going to Dillardís or any place that had clothing. In her lifetime she has witnessed both World Wars, a Great Depression, Civil Rights Movement, her beloved Cowboys win Five Super Bowls, a Cold War, became the oldest Thunder fan and saw Space Exploration as well as technology we take for granted like cars, TVs, computers, and phones come to fruition. She never kept an opinion to herself and always spoke her mindówhether you wanted to hear it or not. Gladys was stylish and impeccably dressed always ensuring to have jewelry on to match her immaculate outfitóseveral times she even took the watches off of relatives wrists because she felt it would go perfectly with her outfit. We will miss her witty humor, sports knowledge and confidence. Gladys lived a full and incredible life but it does not make it easier to let her go. We love you Mema Gladys. The month of May will always be special. Gladys Roxie Harbeston passed from this life on Friday, November 29, 2013, in Cleveland, Oklahoma at the age of 99 years six months and five days. Survivors are her two children Toby Harbeston and his wife Carolyn of Cleveland, Oklahoma; Kurma Jean Johnson and her husband Glen of Cleveland, Oklahoma; ten grandchildren, twenty two great grandchildren and numerous great great grandchildren and many other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents Gladys was preceded in death by her husband Leo Harbeston; son Harold Ray Harbeston; five brothers Sherman Joseph Smithee, Quincy Robert Smithee, Warnie Dalton Smithee, Roy Smithee, Ira Thomas Smithee and two sisters China Smithee and Floy Smithee.