Fannie Sample

Fannie Eva Reed was born on June 7, 1916 on the Reed family homestead approximately 12 miles north of Mooreland, Oklahoma.  She was the 6 ^th of 10 children born to Samuel Amos and Fannie Catherine (Behrens) Reed. Eva attended school through the 8 ^th grade at Freezeout country school just west of the Reed homestead. Eva and Lorin William Sample were united in marriage on June 4, 1935, in Alva, Oklahoma.  Six children were born to this union: Lewis, Wesley, Betty, Loretta, Gerald, and Roxie. Lorin and Eva began their married life in the neighborhood where they were raised, but in 1937, with a 9 month old baby, they loaded a few possessions in a 1928 Chevrolet and moved to Los Angeles, California, for a year.  They moved to California again in 1946, with four children.  In 1948, now with five children, they returned to Oklahoma, purchased and settled on a farm in Harper County, almost equidistant from Ft. Supply, Laverne, and Buffalo. Eva was a farm wife and homemaker most of her life.  With the help of her children, she tended a large garden every year, making pickles, canning vegetables, making sand plum jelly, wild currant jelly, and wild grape jelly for her family. She also sewed, making all her children’s clothing.  She belonged to a County Home Demonstration club and was a 4-H leader, teaching many young girls how to sew, including her own.  She loved to piece quilts and hand quilts them.  She also crocheted, making baby booties, baby blankets, afghans, and other items for family and friends. While husband Lorin made their living as a carpenter during the day, she helped by watching over the livestock, milking cows, raising chickens and feeding pigs.  She loved the quiet solitude of the farm.  In fact, she lived alone on the family farm until the age of 90. Once her boys had cars, it wasn’t unusual to see her helping them work on those cars, handing them wrenches, starting bolts, or just giving “advice.” Eva departed this life on August 21, 2012, in the Harper County Community Hospital, at the age of 96 years, 2 months, and 14 days. She was preceded in death by husband Lorin in 1983, son Wesley in 2005, great grandchild Brennen Kuehl-Sample in 2004, and son-in-law Odes Harwood in 1984. She leaves as her survivors two sons, Lewis Sample of Mustang, Oklahoma, and Gerald (Chuck) and wife Jewel Sample of Stillwater, Oklahoma; three daughters Betty and husband David Allen of Gibson, North Carolina, Loretta Harwood of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Roxie and husband Mike Luckie of Rosston, Oklahoma; and daughter-in-law Mary Lea Sample of Guymon, Oklahoma, 17 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren.  She is also survived by one brother Henry and wife Susan of Midwest City, Oklahoma, and one sister Mary Kaiser of Liberal, Kansas, also one sister-in-law, Neola Reed of Amarillo, Texas. The family has suggested memorials to the Rosston Fire Dept. Buffalo Fire Dept. or Laverne Fire Dept. in care of Wilkinson Funeral Service P.O. Box 302 Buffalo, Ok 73834.

Funeral Service were  held at 2:00PM Saturday August 25,  2012  in the  United Methodist Church Buffalo, Oklahoma with pastor Phil Davis and Bill Tindell officiating, pianist Cathy Earnest, Pallbearers were Grandsons Jim Sample, Don Sample, Jerry Sample, John Sample, Jason Sample, David Bean, Daniel Bean, Phillip Dart, Shawn Luckie. Honorary Pallbearers were Jerry Gillenwaters, Bob Gates, Ronnie Wilson, Harold Hoffman, Jack Miller, and Tony Alexander. Burial was at the High Point Cemetery, Buffalo OK. under the direction of Wilkinson Funeral Service, Buffalo, OK .