Obituary: Wanda Florene Swart 96, of Cordell

Wanda Florene Swart of Cordell, went to her heavenly home on Dec. 2, 2019 at the age of 96 with her loving family by her side.

A lifelong resident of the Rocky-Cordell area, Florene was born Oct. 9, 1923, in Okemah, to J.V. and Elizabeth Hartley Lady. Florene and twin Eugene joined sister Nora and brother Buster in 1923. The family later moved to Clinton, where her father worked in the cotton mill. More brothers and sisters were later born into the family: C.D., Bill, Gerald, Loyd, Evelyn, and Everett.

Florene attended school in Corn and Rocky Public Schools where she met and fell in love with Walter Swart. The couple, which embodied the Greatest Generation, married in El Reno, on May 5, 1941 and started their lives together on a farm eight miles southwest of Cordell. In December 1943, the couple moved to Oakland, Calif., when Walter joined the Navy. Upon completion of his military service in the Pacific Theater in December 1946, the couple returned to Oklahoma to settle on a farm outside of Cordell and raise their family.

Walter and Florene celebrated 78 years of marriage on May 5, 2019.

Family was everything to Florene. She was a loving mother to children Gary and Marla, instilling in them strong biblical values and work ethic. Florene had a very strong work ethic as well. She pulled and chopped cotton, canned quarts of steaming fruits and vegetables, drove a tractor and helped Walter on the farm doing various chores.

She was a loving mother who turned pages in books for us as we read to her. She spanked our bottoms when we were bad. She dried our tears with her apron, sewed and ironed our clothes, and many more motherly endeavors.

Florene was baptized in March of 1954 at the Rocky Methodist Church. She was a devoted Christian who taught Sunday School and was a member of the United Methodist Women for a number of years.

One of Florene’s passions in life was loving, caring, and cooking for her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her specialties were meatloaf, Special K cookies, fried okra, peanut brittle, and Christmas candies.

Florene is survived by her devoted husband of 78 years, Walter, of Cordell; son Gary Swart and wife Ruby of El Reno; daughter Marla Harper and husband Jackie of Cordell; grandchildren April Menge and husband Donald of El Reno, Shara Garmon and husband David of Cordell; Chad Gorshing and wife Christian of Oklahoma City, and Ashton McMahan and husband Steve of Purcell. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Kyle Menge, Kara Menge, Paige Gorshing, Alyssa Gorshing, Kaylee Garmon, and Kaytem Garmon. Florene is also survived by her sister Evelyn Barrett and her brother Everett Lady, both of Visalia, Calif. Special family members include: Kyle Harper, Makenzie Tucker, Ethan Owens, Kade Wendt and Elizabeth McMahan.

The family would like to offer a special thanks to the dedicated staff and management of Shepherd Home Health Care for their loving care of Florene over the past month.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cordell Senior Citizens, 216 West 1st, Cordell Methodist Church, 216 S Glenn English, Cordell Academic Foundation, P. O. Box 171, or Rocky Lone Star Cemetery 12647 N 2230 Road, Rocky, Oklahoma, in her memory.

Visitation was held from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, and from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019.

Family was available to greet friends and family from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 at Ray & Martha’s Funeral Home in Cordell.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at First United Methodist Church in Cordell, with burial at Lone Star Cemetery in Rocky.

Under the direction of Ray & Martha’s Funeral Home, Cordell.