Rogers Co. Obit for: Gertrue 'Blondie' (Bowers) Best
************************************************************************
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/rogers/rogers.htm
Rogers County Archivist: Bill Cook, billcook44@aol.com
Submitted to the Rogers County Oklahoma Archives 
Date: 3/23/2003 by: Bill Cook, billcook44@aol.com
************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in 
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons.  
Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the 
written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the 
submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this 
consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to 
store the file permanently for free access.

http://www.usgwarchives.net
************************************************************************

Gertrue 'Blondie' (Bowers) Best

Funeral service for Gertrue "Blondie" Best will be 2 p.m. Sunday 
(today), at Calvary Baptist Church, Inola, with Rev. Thom Duncan 
and Brent White officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery, 
Inola, under the direction of the Inola Funeral Home.

Blondie passed from this life to be with her Lord, March 20, 2003, 
at the age of 79, surrounded by her loving family.

Gertrue "Blondie" Ailene Bowers Best was born to Roy and Helena "Lena" 
Pranger Bowers on July 18, 1923 in the Inola Rural Area. She was the 
third of 13 children born to this union. 

Blondie attended Maple Grove grade school and Inola High School. She 
married her high school sweetheart, Merle Amos Best on July 27, 1940 
in Vinita. Blondie helped Merle on their farm often milking six cows 
every morning. She also cooked at the Inola Schools and sold Sarah 
Coventry Jewelry, which she loved. 

Blondie loved the Lord and as a member of Calvary Baptist Church served 
as Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School director, pianist and 
organist for many years. She also loved attending Falls Creek Youth 
Assembly and enjoyed working with young people. Blondie supported her 
children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in all their school and 
sports activities and even in her later years, she and Merle were awarded 
a plaque stating "Inola's Greatest Fans." Blondie was a member and Past 
Worthy Matron of the Eastern Stars in Claremore. 

Blondie is survived by four children, Virgil Best and wife, Loretta, Pat 
Mootry and husband Bob, and Sandra Bynum and husband Mike, all of Inola, 
and Merlene Bocock and husband Butch of Catoosa; 12 grandchildren, Janice 
Davis, Brad Best, Lora Gibson, Marvin Mootry, Nathan Mootry, Jon Mootry, 
Jason Mootry, Lance Bynum, Rhett Bynum, Trent Bynum, Billye Replogle, and 
Jodi Martin; 24 great-grandchildren, Brooke, Lauren, and Braden Best, Sydney 
and Cortney Davis, Megan and Mason Gibson, Page, Candace, and Taylor Mootry, 
Nicole and Hilary Mootry, Natalie Bell, Kyle and Kristen Mootry, Hunter 
Mootry, Chelsi Sutton, Rylee Bynum, Austin and Mitchell Bynum, Whitnye 
and Dalton Replogle, Brooklyn Scott, and Maggi Martin; one great-great-
grandchild, Emma Dawn Bell; four sisters, Adron Peterson of Oroville, 
Calif., Lola Johnson of Reno, Nev., Edna Parks and Wanda Lockhart both 
of Gridley, Calif.; and three brothers, Charles Bowers of Biggs, Calif., 
Novie Bowers of Spark, Nev., and Lonnie Bowers of Hanover, Utah, longtime 
family friends Sherry Jordan and Sybil Jolly, and a host of distant 
relatives and close friends all of whom will miss her. 

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Merle on March 7, 
2003, her parents; brothers, Loland "Bud" Bowers, W.L. Bowers and LeRoy 
Bowers; and sisters, Geneva Lockhart and Opal Roberts.

Memorial contributions may be made to Falls Creek Youth Assembly, c/o 
Calvary Baptist Church, P.O. Box 460, Inola, OK 74036. 

*************************************************************************
Transcribed from the Claremore Progess Newspaper, we sincerely thank them
for allowing us to post these obits on the Rogers Co., OK USGenwebpages
http://www.claremoreprogress.com/
copyright c 2002-2003, by webmaster Rogers Co. Archives Bill Cook
billcook44@aol.com
*************************************************************************