Class of 1945

1945 Graduation Edition
Perry Daily Journal
Billie Ruth McClure

– was in the band and played on the girls’ basketball team while a student at Morrison, before coming to Perry. She is a member of Red Hots, high school pep organization, this year.

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. McClure, 611 Ivanhoe, she was born October 27, 1927, at Stillwater. She attended the Oak Grove grade school, then enrolled in Morrison secondary school.

Billie Ruth wants to enter nurse’s training at University hospital, Enid, after finishing PHS.

Billie Ruth (McClure) Houser

October 27, 1927 – February 27, 2009

Billie Ruth Houser, longtime Newkirk resident, went to be with her savior Friday, Feb. 27, 2009, at her home. She was 81.

The daughter of Robert Jackson McClure and Velaria Lee Jones McClure, Billie Ruth was born Oct. 27, 1927, on a farm in Payne County near Morrison. They later moved to Noble County about two miles north of Bill’s Corner. She grew up on the family farm and attended a little country school called Oak Grove. She attended Morrison High School, and it was there that she met and fell in love with the boy she would later marry. In 1944 she moved to Perry where her dad went into the hardware and equipment business with Frank Houser. Billie attended Perry High School her senior year and graduated with the class of 1945. Following graduation she was employed at the First National Bank of Morrison.

On Aug. 8, 1946, Billie and Charles Edward Houser were married in Newkirk. They established their home in Newkirk where Charles’ father had purchased a hardware store. Billie’s husband Charles went into the hardware business with his father, and she was employed at Albright Title & Trust Company, working there three years. After her children were old enough to go to school, Billie began working at the hardware store as her husband’s bookkeeper, working in that capacity for almost 30 years. She served on the board of directors until 2008.

Billie was a faithful Christian and a dedicated longtime member of the First United Methodist Church where she served in various capacities. She was a member and past president of the United Methodist Women and the Martha Circle. She was active in the community, bring a member and past president of the Red Rose Garden Club and holding membership with the American Legion Auxiliary, Red Hat Society, and the Women’s Coffee Club.

Her special interests and hobbies included gardening, cooking, quilting, crocheting, traveling extensively with various groups and spending time with her family and friends. She was a loving mother to her children and wonderful “nana” and “great-nana” to all her grand and great-grandchildren. Family, in addition to being active in her church, was the highlight of her life. She filled her life with these as well as with her friends and her community.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Debbie Houser of Newkirk; a daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Terry Weigle of Ponca City; one brother, Robert McClure of Morrison; two sisters, Pat Sanders of Enid and Sue Garvie of Morrison; and eight grandchildren, Julie Adams of Choctaw, Becky Poet of Ponca City, Jacob Harris of Oklahoma City, Buffy Johnston of Newkirk, Laura Deibert of Bixby, Melinda Dunn of Frisco, Texas, Cary Bullington of Stillwater and Andrew Cauthon of Ponca City; and 10 great-grandchildren, Caleb Adams, Charlie and Harrison Poet, Joseph Johnston, Andrew and Joshua Delbert, Makaya and Brett Dunn, and Mikayla and Dawson Bullington.

In addition to her husband Charles, she was also preceded in death by her parents.

The funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 3, in Christ’s Church with the Rev. James Hollifield, minister of the First United Methodist Church of Newkirk, officiating. Interment will follow in the Newkirk Cemetery. Memorial funds have been established with the First United Methodist Church Building Fund and Hospice of North Central Oklahoma. Contributions may be made to either in Mrs. Houser’s name through Eastman National Bank, Box 468, Newkirk, Okla. 74647-0468.