Obituary for Vesta Gates

Vesta Ilene Woodward Gates, longtime Big Bend, Ralston area resident, passed away April 2, 2014 in Tulsa. Surrounded by close family, she left this world during her favorite season, springtime. She was 86.

Vesta was born on September 30, 1927 in Deer, Arkansas, the fourth of 12 children born to John Woodward and Lillie Belle (Adams) Woodward. She moved with her family at an early age to the Big Bend community west of Ralston where she attended the Woodland Rural School.

During World War II, Vesta exchanged letters with Jess Phillip Gates, also of the Big Bend, who was serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Soon after the war ended, the couple eloped on March 23, 1946 in Winfield, Kansas, and made their first home on a farm near Red Rock, Oklahoma. She celebrated 63 years of marriage with her beloved Jesse before his passing in 2009.

As a young couple with young children, they bought a farm and moved to South Dakota. They also lived in Washington state, where Jess worked for Boeing, and then bought a dairy farm near Evansville, Arkansas. Eventually, the couple returned to Oklahoma, settling in Marland in 1962, when Jess went to work for Conoco. In the early 1970s, they bought the farm next to the Gates’ homestead and returned home to the Big Bend to stay. Vesta and Jess raised wheat and cattle for many years. She served her community as a precinct volunteer for the Osage County Election Board for decades, and as a member of the Pixley Cemetery Association.

A hard worker who managed the family, home, yard and farm, Vesta truly loved people and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, dear friend and neighbor. As a young mother with five children, she handcrafted their clothing, hosted their friends, and supported their interests and activities. Later endeared as Gammy, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought her even greater joy. Gammy loved cooking noodles for the grandchildren and having them at her side, whether she was quilting, fishing, feeding cows or running a tractor and disc in the field. She was smart, creative, artistic, funny, kind and a gifted flower and vegetable gardener. A treasure who will be dearly missed and never forgotten.

She is survived by her four children, Lynda Zebelman and husband Max, St. Louis, Missouri, Phillip Gates and wife Marilyn, Granbury, Texas, Brenda Gates, Tulsa, and Debbie Marty and husband Paul, Pryor, Oklahoma; nine grandchildren, Rhett Waggoner, Lyndall Stout, Jessica Root, Aaron Gates, Tyler Hickman, Joseph Gates, Tanner Vore, Benjamin Gates and Camille Zebelman McCormack; two great-grandchildren, Victoria Root and Spencer Yannuzzi; two step-grandchildren, Naomi Marty and Seth Marty; two sisters, Ruby Williams of Arkansas and Ann Harrison of Missouri; four brothers, Doyle Woodward of Missouri, John Woodward of Skiatook, Chester Woodward of Coweta, and Wilbur “Sonny” Woodward of Missouri; and numerous other extended family and friends.

Vesta was preceded in death by her husband Jess, on April 12, 2009; her youngest daughter, Vickie Marie Gates, who died of leukemia at age 13; her parents; two brothers, G.S. Woodward and Bill Woodward; and three sisters, Marie Richards, Eula Dill and Shirley Strutz.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the First Christian Church in Fairfax with Chris Short presiding. Burial will follow in the Big Bend Pixley Cemetery west of Ralston. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Casket bearers are grandsons Rhett Waggoner, Aaron Gates, Tyler Hickman, Joseph Gates, Tanner Vore, Benjamin Gates and Seth Marty.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia Society of America, Oklahoma Chapter, 500 North Broadway, Suite 250, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102