Cummings, Flossie
Funeral services for Flossie Beatrice “Flo” Cummings of Newkirk were held Saturday at First Christian Church of Newkirk with Rev. Mike Sweetman, chaplain of Hospice of North Central Oklahoma officiating. Burial was in the Newkirk Cemetery under direction of Miller-Stahl Funeral Service.

Mrs. Cummings died March 19 at her home. She was born March 17, 1943, in Allen. She grew up in El Reno and graduated from Putnam City High School in 1961. She owned and operated a laundromat in Bethany for nine years. She moved to Newkirk in 1978, where she was employed with the Arkansas City Hospital, Huffy Bicycle Plant and finally at Titus, now Air Systems Components in Ponca City. She retired in 2004 after 20 years with the company. She was a member of the Baptist church and the Sheet Metal Workers Union.

She is survived by her husband, Elmer; sons, Darrell Cummings of Newkirk and Russell Cummings of Ponca City; a daughter, Sharyn Cowen of Ponca City; her stepmother, Pauline Williams of El Reno; brothers, Lonnie Williams of El Reno and J.D. Williams of Santa Fe, Texas; half brothers, Edward Williams of Eufaula, Kenny Williams and Floyd Williams, both of El Reno; sisters, Anna Matthews of El Reno and Peggy Matthews of Tecumseh; half sisters, Janice Williams of Dallas, Susan Williams of Mustang and Kathy Williams of El Reno; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Hickerson, Clarice Belle Jones (paid)
Clarice Belle Jones Hickerson, 87, passed from this life on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008, at her home in Bedford, Texas, after a brief illness.

Clarice was born in Lucas, Ark., on May 7, 1920, to Thomas Hendricks Jones and Katie Winters Jones, the fourth of six children. The family moved from Arkansas to Red Hill near El Reno in 1928. Clarice graduated from El Reno High School in 1939 and attended Hill’s Business College in Oklahoma City. She married James Dee Hickerson on Sept. 28, 1940, in El Reno. After World War II, she was an Air Force wife for 22 years, living all over the United States and in France with Dee and her children.

Dee and Clarice returned to El Reno, their home for over 60 years, after his retirement. She was an active member of her Sunday school class at First Baptist, WMU and Extension Homemakers Club. Clarice and Dee moved to Bedford, Texas, in 2004 to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Clarice is survived by son, Donald Hickerson and wife, Kathryn of Hurst, Texas; daughter, Dee Ann Hickerson and husband, Tom Ekis of Alvarado, Texas; grandchildren, Kristy Smith, Ann Eliza-beth Campbell, Jeffrey Hickerson, Tracy Workman, Kelly Pence and Brandy Smith; 10 great-grandchildren; brother, Bill Jones and wife, Jean of Enid; sisters-in-law, Alice Jones and Clara Loyall; brothers-in-law, Jewel Hickerson and Ferrel Hickerson and wife, Sarah Ann; many nieces, nephews and loving friends.
Clarice was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, James Dee Hickerson; parents, Tom and Katie Jones; a son, Michael Dee Hickerson; brothers, Cecil Jones, RQ Jones and Archie Jones; and a sister, Erma Jones Phillips.

Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 28 at First Baptist Church in El Reno. Rev. John V. Chennault, retired pastor, will officiate. Interment will be in the El Reno Cemetery following the service. Services are under direction of Wilson Funeral Home.

The family requests that memorials be made to First Baptist Church, 401 S. Bickford, El Reno, or First Baptist Church of Bedford, 2045 Bedford Road, Bedford, Texas 76095.

Powell, Thelma
Funeral services for Thelma H. Powell of El Reno will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Bible Baptist Church with Rev. Brian Trull officiating. Burial will be in the El Reno Cemetery under direction of Wilson Funeral Home.

Mrs. Powell died Saturday at Parkview Hospital. She was born Oct. 23, 1913. She was a lifetime El Reno area resident and a graduate of El Reno High School. She was a homemaker and member of Bible Baptist Church.

She is survived by several nieces and nephews.

Sears, Garland
Funeral services for Garland Sears of El Reno are pending with Huber-Benson Funeral Home. Mr. Sears died Tuesday at his home.

Sparks, Loretta B. (paid)
Graveside services for Loretta B. Sparks of El Reno will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 28, 2008, in the El Reno Cemetery with Rev. Barney Jackson, vicar of Christ Memorial Episcopal Church officiating. Services are under direction of Wilson Funeral Home.

Mrs. Sparks died Sunday, March 23, 2008, at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City. She was born Oct. 11, 1925, in Paola, Kan., to Wesley and Nettie (Hobbs) Freeman. Loretta came to El Reno in the late ’40s and then moved to Kansas for a few years, returning to El Reno in 2002. She was a homemaker and member of Christ Memorial Episcopal Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lee R. Sparks; and two brothers, Bobby Freeman and Warren Freeman.

Survivors include a brother, Tommy Freeman and wife, Suzanne of Capitan, N.M.; stepbrother, Alan Moulton of El Reno; sister-in-law, Alice Freeman of El Reno; nieces, Kathy Axton of Arcadia, Robin Nowotny of New Braunfels, Texas, and Nanette Turi of Hooper, Colo.; a nephew, Michael Freeman of Round Rock, Texas; a great-nephew, Bobby Axton of Arcadia; and numerous other relatives and friends.