Obituary for Syble Beatrice Gregory

Syble Beatrice Sears Kiser Gregory

February 10, 1924 – December 14, 2013

Beatrice Sears Kiser Gregory, died peacefully, surrounded by her family on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at the Chandler Nursing Center, Chandler, Oklahoma. She was 89 years of age.

Beatrice was born February 10, 1924 near Hog Shooter Creek, rural Osage County near Bartlesville. She was born the 3rd of eight children to Charles Preston Sears and Leona (Clapp) Sears. Beatrice attended rural schools through grade school and earned her GED at the age of 65, the oldest person in Oklahoma to receive the GED at that time.

Beatrice was 18 when she married Earl Charles Kiser on August 10, 1942 in Newkirk, Oklahoma. She always said she and Earl grew up together after they were married. The couple learned to make a home anywhere. They raised their young growing family from Pitcher, to Webb City and finally to Ponca City. After Earl’s passing in 1974 she married Theodore Gregory on November 26, 1977 in Nowata, Oklahoma and was married for 23 wonderful years.

Beatrice accepted the Lord as a child of 8 and faithfully lived her life and taught her four children to also love the Lord. She was a longtime active member of the Webb City Church of God where she taught Sunday School for several years. She last attended Successful Word Church in Warwick, Oklahoma. She loved to sing gospel music, loved children and taking care of babies. She took up walking as an exercise after her children bought her a pedometer and sneakers. She kept a runner’s log and logged up to 10,000 steps per day, and her greatest achievement was walking 10 miles in one day. She was also an accomplished seamstress. Bea always professed to being shy, but she knew no strangers, just instant friends. She talked to everyone and soon knew their life story and needs. She also loved to travel, visiting her family in Texas, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, California and Oregon. She even visited family in South Korea at the age of 72.

She is survived by her four children, James Kiser and wife Bonnie, of Newberg, Oregon, Patsy Earlene Parker and husband Melvin, of Carthage, Missouri, Ruth Elaine Kizer and husband Phil, of Oklahoma City, and Charles Ray Kiser and wife Cindy, of Tryon, Oklahoma; one brother, Farris Berton Sears of Las Vegas, Nevada; 12 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren; numerous other extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; her siblings, Faye Punches, Cecil Sears, Eugene Sears, S.D. Sears, Leona Mae McDonald and infant sister Mary Ruth Sears.

There will be a visitation for family and friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at Grace Memorial Chapel. There will be viewing at the Webb City Church of God from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 19th.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, December 19, 2013 at the Webb City Church of God with her grandson, Bryce Parker presiding. Interment will follow in the Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery in Ponca City. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Casket bearers are grandsons, Mark Kiser, Earl Kiser, Lyle Kiser, Levi Kiser, Nate Parker, Boaz Parker, Mike Collins and Mark Scott. Honorary casket bearers are Robert Kizer, Ryan Cummings and Randy Cummings.

Memorial contributions may be made in Beatrice name to the Webb City Church of God Youth Group, 24 Boston Ave., Webb City, Oklahoma 74652.