NAME: THELMA MITTIE (MILES) BETTS, AGE 94, LONGTIME ATOKA AREA RESIDENT. BORN: SEPTEMBER 4, 1901 AT ROFF, OK TO JAMES GLEN AND ANGIE ELIZABETH (TURNER) MILES. PASSED AWAY: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1996 AT COLONIAL MANOR IN ATOKA, OK. AGE: 94 YEARS 6 MONTHS AND 16 DAYS. EDUCATION: VICKIE ATTENDED SCHOOLS AT COLEMAN, OK AND SOUTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY IN DURANT. MARRIED: CHARLIE WALKER BETTS ON DECEMBER 20, 1924 AT ATOKA, OK. OCCUPATION: SHE WAS A CHRISTIAN MOTHER AND HOUSEWIFE. A SCHOOL TEACHER AT WARDS CHAPEL AND OTHER ATOKA COUNTY SCHOOLS. CHARLIE AND THELMA MOVED TO CALIFORNIA IN 1941 WHERE SHE AND HER FAMILY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN FOUNDING A NEW BAPTIST CHURCH IN SANTA MARIA. SHE WAS ONE OF 13 CHARTER MEMBERS. SHE SERVED MANY YEARS AS SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND YOUTH WORKER. A FEW YEARS AFTER CHARLIE'S DEATH SHE MOVED BACK TO WARDS CHAPEL. SHE GREW PRETTY ROSES AND CARNATIONS, SHE GARDENED AND CANNED FOOD FOR THE FAMILY - ALWAYS HAD A GIFT OF HOSPITALITY TO ANYONE. SURVIVED BY SONS: RICHARD MILES BETTS AND WIFE LOUISA OF WARDS CHAPEL. CHARLEY RAMSY BETTS AND WIFE PATRICIA OF SANTA MONICA, CA. DAVID CLAY BETTS AND WIFE EVELYN OF ARNOLD, CA. DAUGHTERS: ESTELLE HINSON OF WARDS CHAPEL, OK. ANGIE E. DARRAH AND HUSBAND GERLAD OF HAGERSTOWN, MD. SISTERS: BIRDIE M. HIGGINBOTHAM OF FRESNO, CA. MABEL C. ROSS OF FRESNO, CA. NAN MCKEE AND HUSBAND MACK OF FRESNO, CA. 12 GRANDCHILDREN, 11 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, 3 GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. PRECEDED IN DEATH BY PARENTS: JAMES AND ANGIE MILES. HUSBAND: CHARLIE BETTS IN MARCH, 1974 IN CA. SISTERS: ORA TOWNSEND AND MILDRED CARTER. BROTHERS: CLAY AND LEE MILES.

DATE OF SERVICES: MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1996 AT 1:00 P.M. PLACE OF SERVICES: WARDS CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH ~ WEST ATOKA, OK. INTERMENT: WARDS CHAPEL CEMETERY ~ WEST ATOKA, OK. OFFICIATING: REV. TOM HARGRAVE. CASKETBEARERS: WILLIAM F. JOHNSON, BEN THOMAS, JOE KENNETH WILLIAMS, TOT CALVERT, LON ROBERT FINK, ELMO THOMAS, THOMAS RAY, ED BATCHELOR SR.