Class of 1974
1974 Maroon Spotlight
Dee Ann Ely
1974 Graduation EditionPerry Daily Journal
Dee Ann Ely is the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Harvey C. Ely, 914 Rose Terrace. She was born March 22, 1956, in Perry and attended Red Rock schools through the ninth grade. She has been in band three years; member National Honor society three years; Student Council, Red Hots, FHA and Mu Alpha Theta, one year each; 4-H club six years and Thespians three years. She is vice president of Mu Alpha Theta; reporter for Thespians; was reporter for the Red Rock Student Council; was president of the freshman class at Red Rock; valedictorian of her eighth grade class; vice president of FHA; was Rotary club student of the month in December and was secretary and reporter for Red Rock 4-H. Physiology and band are favorite subjects. Bowling and piano are hobbies She plans to attend OSU.
Dee Ann (Ely) Lambert
March 22, 1956 – November 9, 2024
Dee Ann Ely Lambert, 68, of Okarche, passed from this life on November 9, 2024, in Concordia Assisted Living Center in Oklahoma City, after several years of declining health.
Born March 22, 1956, in Perry, Oklahoma, she was the daughter of Harvey Carl and Naveda Lee (Wise) Ely. She attended Red Rock School through the 9th grade and was named valedictorian of her 8th grade class. She was active in 4-H showing cattle and sheep. Dee attended Perry High School graduating in 1974. Among the activities she participated in was the marching band and the swing band playing trombone. She also accompanied students in contests on piano. Dee was one of the two students awarded a one-year scholarship to Oklahoma State University. The selection was made on grade point average, rank in class, participation in school activities and American College Testing Program. She was in the OSU marching band. In 2005 she received a Bachelor’s in Family Studies and Gerontology from Southern Nazarene University.
Among her several occupations, Dee was a staff writer for the Kingfisher Times and Free Press, transcriptionist for Dr. Mark Gregory in Okarche and Kingfisher, assistant to the Kingfisher County 4-H Extension Agent, a paraprofessional at Kingfisher school, and a case manager at Center of Family Love in Okarche.
On August 27, 1976, Dee married Alan M. McIlvain in Red Rock, Oklahoma. They were blessed with two sons, Ryan Jay and Andrew (Andy) Jacob. Dee worked at University of Oklahoma and put Alan through law school. They made their home in Perry, Duncan and then Kingfisher.
In Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Kingfisher on March 9, 1991, Dee married Franklin William Kraus and they were blessed with a son Franklin (Will) William Kraus, Jr. Franklin passed away on April 29, 2001. Ryan, Andy and Will loved living on the farm near Omega.
On May 29, 2004, James (Jim) Floyd Lambert and Dee were married. Jim passed away on September 18, 2006.
Family meant the world to her. She had a tender heart for the handicapped and the less fortunate. Dee was a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Okarche. She was chairman of the Red Cross blood drive in Kingfisher for several years. She was active in the Stagecoach Community Theatre in Perry and the Community Theatre in Kingfisher. She enjoyed her grandchildren, traveling, crafts especially stained glass, and lending a hand to help others.
Dee was preceded in death by husbands Franklin and Jim, her father, and grandparents, Claude and Gladys Ely and Lee and Willie Wise.
She is survived by her three sons, Ryan (Karyn) McIlvain, Andy (Ryan) Canady and Will (Kara) Kraus; her mother, Naveda Ely; eight grandchildren; a sister Linda (Joey) Pyeatt; nephews, nieces, cousins and other relatives.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, at Kingfisher Cemetery with Deacon Max Schwarz officiating. Memorials may be made to Cardinal Point, P.O. Box 852033, Yukon, OK 73085.