Rachel Louise Beltz

Rachel Louise Camp Gilbreath Beltz passed away on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the age of 89. She was born Sept. 2, 1919, in Wichita Falls, Texas. She was raised in St. Jo, Texas, and moved to Stillwater in 1930, where she attended Oklahoma A and M.She married J.C. Gilbreath in 1938. During WWII, she lived in Bristow with her sister while both of their husbands were in the service. After the war, they lived (on Husband Street) in Stillwater for a few years, then moved to Baton Rouge, La., and on to Fayetteville, Ark., where J.C. was a professor of Genetics at the University of Arkansas. In 1957, they returned to Stillwater where J.C. taught at Oklahoma State University. She worked at Stillwater National Bank as assistant trust officer for over 25 years. She and J.C. divorced in 1982.She then married three more times to Kenneth Luper, Okla Arthur "Jack" Gilbreath and to Clarence Beltz. In 1966, she moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, to be close to her son. Over the years, she belonged to Business and Professional Women, Altrusa, Credit Union International, OSU Faculty Wives, the Mayflower Society, Cimarron Chapter of the DAR and the DOC.She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Stillwater and Asbury Methodist Church in Corpus Christi.She is survived by her sister, Mrs. Carolyn Foster of Bristow; her son, John Cyrus Gilbreath III of Corpus Christi, Texas; three grandchildren, John Gilbreath IV of Austin, Texas, Christopher Gilbreath of Virginia Beach, Va. and Matthew Gilbreath of Corpus Christi, Texas; four great-grandchildren; six nieces and nephews.Visitation will be at 3 p.m. Sunday. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Strode Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens.Please check with the Strode Funeral Home for visitation times.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to South Texas Botanical Gardens, 8545 S. Staples St., Corpus Christi, Texas 78413.