Rogers Co. Obit for: Bess (Simpkins) Nees 
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/rogers/rogers.htm
Rogers County Archivist: Bill Cook, billcook44@aol.com
Submitted to the Rogers County Oklahoma Archives 
Date: 11/13/2002 by: Bill Cook, billcook44@aol.com
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10/29/2002

Bess (Simpkins) Nees

Graveside services for Bess Nees will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002 at 
Oakhaven Memorial Gardens under the direction of Rice Funeral Service. 

Mike Schroeder, her minister at the Church of Christ will officiate. 

Bess will be laid to rest beside Gene, her husband of 55 years, 
who passed away Sept. 27, 2001. 

Friends may visit at the funeral home until 8 p.m. Tuesday. 

Bess passed away Sunday afternoon, Oct. 27, 2002, just two weeks after her 
80th birthday, a milestone she looked forward to reaching.

Bess was born in Rocky, Okla., on Oct. 11, 1922 to James and Minnie Kirkpatrick 
Simpkins. 

At the age of 13, she joined the Church of Christ and was a devoted
member throughout her life. She graduated from Inola High School and 
went on to college at the University of Oklahoma. During these war years, 
Bess worked as a machinist at Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa.

On April 13, 1946, Bess and former classmate, Richard "Gene" Nees, who had 
recently returned from his military service, were married in a ceremony in 
Independence, Kan. 

The couple made their first home in Inola, then briefly in Tulsa, before 
settling in Claremore in 1951. 

They also lived for a short time in California and Kansas due to Gene's work 
with the aircraft industry. Upon his retirement, the Claremore-Inola area was 
where they chose to stay.

The couple owned and operated laundromats in Claremore and Inola, working 
together 
to provide for their family which included daughter, Brenda, and sons, Rick and 
Gary. 

After they sold the laundromats in the late 1970s, Bess and Gene enjoyed 
spending 
time on the road in their motor home or on the water on their boat. Children and 
grandchildren were frequent guests on these delightful trips. 

Bess loved her family and nothing made her happier than having them all gathered 
around for holidays and other occasions.

Bess is survived by family members who carry treasured memories of their devoted 
mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. They include, son, Richard Nees Jr. 
and 
wife Rosa of Wichita, Kan.; daughter, Brenda Straw and husband, Floyd of 
Claremore; 
son, Gary Nees and wife, Charlene of Inola; grandchildren, Lisa McCurdy and 
husband 
Eric, and Wendi Morris, all of Claremore, and twins, Brandon and Brandy Nees of 
Inola; great-grandchildren, Tyler and Sarah McCurdy of Claremore; sister, Minnie 
Lee Mullen of Arlington, Texas sisters-in-law, Betty Nees, Dorothy Graham and 
Jeanie 
Nees, all of Claremore brother-in-law, Roger Nees of Claremore and several 
nieces 
and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and a sister and brother.

The family wishes to express deepest gratitude and special thanks to the Blue 
Starr 
Drive Church of Christ for the many prayers, kind cards and letters, visits and 
food received.


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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/
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