Helen Frances Waller

Helen Frances Waller was born July 20, 1920 in Checotah, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Martin Luther and Alta Olar Hamm. Helen was raised and received her education in Checotah.

Helen was married at the age of fifteen to Fess Ervin Waller on June 14, 1936 in Checotah. They made their initial home in Checotah and during World War II moved to Tulsa as Fess worked as a welder for Douglas aircraft. During this time Helen was drafted as a Rosie the Riveter and also worked at Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa. Upon completion of the war in 1946, the couple moved to Talala where they raised their three children, Fess Ervin, Jr., Sue and Bobbie. While in Talala, Helen worked along side her husband, Fess operating a dairy farm for nearly twelve years. After Fess started a right a way clearing business for electric cooperatives in Talala and operated it for a few years, the couple moved to Cleveland in 1969.

As their faith in Jesus Christ was always paramount in their marriage, the couple was involved in church their entire life. Upon moving to Cleveland, they became members of the First Assembly of God Church. Helen served as a Sunday school teacher during her lifetime for nearly fifty years. She was always available when her church called upon her to clean the church, teach bible school, assist with church dinners or in any other capacity she was needed.

Although their life together was filled with much happiness, family seemed to be her pride and joy. She traveled extensively with Fess in their motor home throughout the continental United States and Alaska. They especially enjoyed traveling to Beaver Lake where they would fish together for trout. Helen enjoyed gospel music and spent countless hours going with her family to gospel singings throughout the area. Fess preceded her in death on April 12, 2002.

Helen was an avid gardener and especially enjoyed flowers except for gladiolus. She was excellent seamstress and made her children most of their clothing as they were growing up. She also taught her daughters, Sue and Bobbie, to sew. She worked for several years when the couple was in Tulsa at Iverson's Clothing Store in the alteration department. While residing in Cleveland, Helen worked with her best friend and sister-in-law, Willie Waller providing custom draperies for homes throughout the area. Throughout her life, Helen always cherished her family and church family, and remained steadfast in her love for them. After suffering the onset of Alzheimer's and requiring care in the nursing home, hearing gospel music playing would nearly always bring Helen to prayer. Her love and faith in Jesus Christ was always evident in her daily life.

Helen passed away at the Cimarron Pointe Nursing Center in Mannford on Monday, August 15, 2005 at the age of eighty-five years and twenty-five days. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Fess Ervin Waller, Jr.; and two brothers, Edgar and Scott Hamm.

She is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Sue and Jerry Smith of Cleveland, Oklahoma and Bobbie and James Haile of Edmond, Oklahoma; six grandchildren, Rob Harper of Talala, Oklahoma, Sandy Harper of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Terri Day of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Dusty Harper of Talala, Oklahoma, Stacy Haile of Grandview, Missouri and Andrea Richardson of Edmond, Oklahoma; twelve great-grandchildren; and one great great-grandson.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Friday, August 19, 2005 at the First Assembly of God Church with Pastor Dan Edens officiating. Burial will be at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Nowata, Oklahoma at 3:00 pm Serving as pall bears are Dusty Harper, Rob Harper, Stacy Haile, Travis Harper, Toby Day and Brandon Harper. Honorary pallbearers are Zachary Richardson, Ethan Richardson, Nicholas Haile and Tucker Day.

Visit an online obituary and guestbook for Helen Frances Waller at www.chapman-black.com.