Rowena Gilstrap

Rowena R. (Brady) Gilstrap longtime Sentinel resident passed from this life and entered into the presence of her Lord and Savior on Oct. 29, 2019, at age 87 in Edmond. She was born on Feb. 25, 1932, in Clinton, to Herbert Brady and Cleo Hester (Clark) Brady.

Rowena grew up and attended school in Clinton, graduating in 1950. While in high school she met the love of her life, Lonnie Thomas Gilstrap, after he dropped his school book and Rowena chased him up the school stairs to give it back to him. They were married on July 23, 1950, in Portales, N.M. and enjoyed over 61 years of marriage before Lonnie’s passing in 2011.

She began her career in Civil Service at Ft. Sill in 1951, starting in publications and was transferred to Ft. Rucker in Alabama in 1954 and processed the records of the first graduating class of the Army Aviation School in 1955. She served in many positions throughout her career in civil service at the Altus Air Force Base. As the chief of her branch, she purchased and administered all service contracts such as custodial services, military family housing maintenance and ground maintenance. The branch also purchased all contract repair services. After thirty-seven years, she retired in 1989. While working at the Base, she completed her Associates Degree at Western Oklahoma State College in 1983. She was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Sentinel, member of The Port Country Cousin’s, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW.

Rowena enjoyed crocheting, knitting, reading and was Lonnie’s right hand throughout their life together.

She is survived by two daughters, Carolyn Cole and husband Rick of Edmond and Deborah Ratliff and husband Rick of Norman; one sister, Delores Beauchamp of Arapaho; two sisters-in-law, Nadine Brady of Clinton and Pat-