Submitted by
Louise Willison

Ezelia Eugene Kirkbride Locke

NEWKIRK — Ezelia Eugene Kirkbride Locke, longtime Newkirk resident, died Wednesday morning, Sept. 13, 2006, at Westminster Village, Ponca City. She was 90.

Funeral services have been scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 15, in the Newkirk Church of Christ with Danny W. Cornish officiating. Burial will follow in Newkirk Cemetery. Miller-Stahl Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. The body will lie in state at the funeral home Thursday until 9 p.m.

A memorial fund has been established with the Newkirk Church of Christ. Contributions may be made in Mrs. Locke's memory through Eastman National Bank, Box 468, Newkirk, OK 74647-0468.

Ezelia Eugene Ford was born Sept. 28, 1915, in Washita, Okla., the daughter of Fred Marshall and Josie Marie Shipton Ford. One of 10 children, she began school in Washita and, after her family moved to a farm east of Newkirk, completed her education at Hardy. Later she and her sister were employed in Newkirk as housekeepers for Mrs. Hyatt.

On Sept. 28, 1933, she and Otto Earl Kirkbride were married in Newkirk. They established their first home on a farm, moving later into Newkirk. In 1941 they moved to eastern Oklahoma where they lived until 1947 when they returned to Newkirk. Mr. Kirkbride died April 27, 1968.

Ezelia married Lester Milton Locke on Aug. 27, 1969 in Newkirk. They made their home on his farm in the rural Newkirk area, and she helped raise his two youngest children. When the Kaw Dam project was under way, it necessitated their selling the farm and moving into Newkirk. Mr. Locke died May 25, 1999.

Ezelia's work history included employment with Harry's Café, R&M Café, Pic'n'Pay Grocery and, along with her husband Lester, was custodian of the First United Methodist Church of Ponca City. She was also the school crossing guard for Newkirk Elementary School for a number of years. In earlier years she did babysitting for several in Newkirk. One of her favorite jobs was the ironing she did for others.

Ezelia was a family person. She delighted in family gatherings. She treasured setting aside time to spend with her sisters, having lunch and shopping. She also enjoyed RV traveling and meeting with her brothers and sisters. She was an excellent cook and baker. She enjoyed her flower and tomato gardens. She was a veteran seamstress, making clothes for her children and grandchildren as they grew up, and making baby blankets for all the grandchildren. She also crocheted, embroidered, quilted, did needlepoint and ceramics. She was a very caring person and spent a lifetime sowing seeds.

She is survived by one daughter, Earlene M. Lane of Newkirk; one son and daughter-in-law, Raymond and Susan Kirkbride of Newkirk; a stepdaughter and son-in-law, Linda and Lennie Coffey of Arkansas City; three stepsons and daughters-in-law, Stanley and Sherry Locke of Derby, Kan., Donald and Earlene Locke and Clifford and Taffy Locke, all of Newkirk; five sisters, Ruby Johnstone of Boerne, Texas, Martha McClung Partridge of Catoosa, Edythe Hoos of Claremore, Wilma Hedricks of Pryor and Donis Stout of Inola; six grandchildren and their spouses, Mark J. and Shelley Lane of Richardson, Texas, Charles E. and Connie Lane of Cushing, David B. and Janelda Lane of Stillwater, Randy G. and Dana Kirkbride of Arkansas City, Chad A. Kirkbride and Kindal R. Kirkbride, both of Newkirk; and eight great-grandchildren.

In addition to both husbands, Ezelia was preceded in death by a son, Wilbur Kirkbride; a daughter, Shirley Jean Kirkbride; two brothers, Curtis K. Ford and Ralph F. Ford; a stepson, James Locke and a stepdaughter, Betty Locke.

Grandsons will serve as their grandmother's casket bearers.