Ramona M. Allford

After a long and difficult battle with numerous illnesses, she gave up the good fight and went home to her Heavenly Father on Sunday morning, Aug. 3, 2008, at her home in McAlester.Ramona M. Allford was born on Jan. 28, 1921, in Scipio, to Virgil and Grace (Nesmith) Weddle. She grew up in McAlester and graduated from McAlester High School in 1937 at the age of 16. She then attended East Central College in Ada.She married W. E. “Bill” Allford on Sept. 7, 1939, in McAlester which is where they made their home until he preceded her in death on Aug. 9, 2001.Mrs. Allford was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of McAlester where she taught Sunday School for many years until her health prevented her from continuing. She was also a member of the Homemaker Department of the McAlester Fortnightly Club and was a volunteer with the McAlester Regional Health Center Auxiliary for a number of years. She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed taking care of her family.Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Mike Deak, West Chester, Pa.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Gayle Allford, of McAlester, and Ronnie and Janis Allford, of McAlester; nine grandchildren, Diane Deak, Wayne, Pa., Cheryl Furlong and her husband, Stephen, Vienna, Va., Stephanie McCullough and her husband, John, Downingtown, Pa., Kim Thompson and her husband, Darrin, of Oklahoma City, Amy Owens and her husband, Greg, of McAlester, Mona Gayle Voss and her husband, Richard, Coffeyville, Kan., Clint Allford and his wife, Yvonne, of McAlester, Christie Watson and her husband, David, of Tulsa, and Abby Allford, of Moore; 14 great-grandchildren, Matthew and Ryan Furlong, Alison McCullough, Jordan, Trevor and Grace Thompson, Grant and Anna Owens, Daric and Brayson Voss, Lauren and Will Allford, and Collin and Carter Watson; brother-in-law, Jim Allford and his wife, June, of Holdenville, and numerous nieces and nephews.Other family members who have preceded in death include her parents; a grandson, Eric Allford who died March 3, 2005, and a sister, Guida Weddle.The family would also like to give special recognition to her loyal caregivers, including, Linda Burns, Lois Oberst, Peggy Boatner, Deborah Jarvis, Sandy Bloxham, Norene Humphries, Gracie O’Neal, Frances Wingo, Pat Sepada, Marilyn Parker, Aretha Riley, Celena Byrd, Kelli Kannady, Rebecca Aarons, Ellis Haney, Wilma Stephens and Pat Brown.The family will receive friends at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, at First Baptist Church of McAlester with the Rev. Steve Dennis officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Brumley-Mills Funeral Home of McAlester.Pallbearers will be Clint Allford, Mike Deak, J. A. Allford, Mack Nesmith, Wendell Warren, Darrin Thompson, Greg Owens, Richard Voss, and David Watson.Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Kennedy, Jim Miller, John O’Neal, Gary Fugitt, Johnny Dale Allford, David Allford, Massimo Cappo, Wesley Brown, Jim Mills, James Countz, George Wright, E. J. Allford, John Allford, Dr. M. L. Henry, and Dr. Terry Grubbs.