Person Page 5,172

Willie Reeves Hardin was born on 16 August 1923 in Olustee, Jackson Co., OK. She married Weldon Vernor Bivins on 26 April 1941 in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR. She died on 14 July 2011 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Co., OK,

Obituary --

Willie Hardin Bivins, 87, of Oklahoma City OK died July 14, 2011, after a long illness.    She was born August 16, 1923, in Olustee OK to the late Joseph Milton Hardin and Myra Reeves Hardin. Willie graduated from Siloam Springs (Arkansas) High School in 1941.    On April 26, 1941, she married Weldon Vernor Bivins. They were married for 60 years until Weldon's death in 2002. Willie was a stay-at-home mother while her children were young but ran a home-based photography business during those years. The family lived in Seminole OK, Purcell OK, Great Bend KS, and Enid OK, settling in Oklahoma City in 1965.    At age 40 she began college at Phillips University in Enid OK, majoring in mathematics.    She completed her degree at Oklahoma City University in 1967 and taught high school math at Putnam City High School until her retirement in 1984. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for 46 years. Throughout her life she gave her time and talents to the communities in which she lived. One of her favorite volunteer projects was the Contact Crisis Helpline where she served 17 years as a phone counselor after her retirement. She loved dolls all of her life and had an extensive collection from all eras. An avid genealogist, she wrote over 30 books of family history and genealogy for both her and Weldon's families.  She was a member of DAR from the early 1960s until her death, serving in many capacities in the Oklahoma Prairies Chapter in Oklahoma City. Of all of her accomplishments she was most proud of being a wife and mother, and her greatest joy was raising her children.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers Lynn Hardin and Milton Hardin.

Survivors include her children David Bivins, Sr., and wife Bonnie of Princeton Junction NJ, Myra Monroe and husband Mike of Tulsa, Sharon Bivins, M.D., of Moreno Valley CA, and Debbie McGlohon of Oklahoma City; grandchildren David Bivins, Jr., and wife Cristina, Laura Hosken and husband Dan, Brad Klingenberg and wife Barbara, Mary McGlohon and husband Austin McDonald, Alan McGlohon and Neil McGlohon; and six great-grandchildren.

She had many health challenges the past several years, but she accepted them with grace and dignity and maintained a cheerful outlook.

Chapel Hill Funeral Home, Oklahoma City OK.


Notes for WILLIE REEVES HARDIN (Tracy DeVault):

Willie spent many years working on genealogy and published a number of books on family history.    After her death, her daughter gave me much of Willie's collection of genealogical materials. In the collection were two books on Fleenor genealogy. Willie got interested in the Fleenors because Weldon, her husband, was a Fleenor descendant. It turns out that one of the Fleenor lines moved to Washington County, Indiana. There Fleenor descendants married descendants of Henry Dawalt. I'm sure Willie never knew this but she and Weldon had Fleenor cousins in common.

Willie Reeves Hardin was educated in Oklahoma City University, Mathematics.

Lynn Ramsey Hardin was born on 1 March 1927 in Olustee, Jackson Co., OK,

Willie Reeves Hardin Bivins wrote (via Tracy DeVault):

Lynn suffered a stroke a few days after it was suspected he had cancer (the cancer had caused a blood clot) and lived eleven days. Tests completed a few days after the stroke revealed metastatic cancer in his lungs, bones and liver. Nothing could have been done for him. Mercifully, the clotting continued; he was successfully medicated to alleviate pain and was spared a lingering illness. He was a wonderful, loving brother. He married Patsy Jean Menard on 15 June 1953 in Purcell, McClain Co., OK. He died on 2 December 1995 in Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK.

Lynn Ramsey Hardin was educated in Oklahoma A&M College, Stillwater, OK, Mechanical Engineering degree (1956.) Occupation: Affiliates of Exxon Corporation with 3 years in Bogota, Columbia; consulting and engineering companies (1967); Operated his own petroleum wholesale and retail marketing company in Tulsa, Oklahoma (1971); Rike Services Inc. as a petroleum consultant.

Milton Avery Hardin was born on 15 February 1933 in Eldorado, Jackson Co., OK. He married June Dorothea Bussart on 20 February 1960 in Great Bend, Barton Co., KS. He died on 8 February 1972 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Co., OK.

He was buried in February 1972 in Resthaven Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Cleveland Co., OK, Findagrave #69997498.

Horace Bishop Stevens was born on 23 June 1886 in Mexia, Limestone Co., TX; son of Archibald Murphy and Mary Elizabeth (Wood) Stevens. He married Clara Boring Reeves, daughter of George Alexander "Fred" Reeves and Addie May Boring, in 1910. Horace Bishop Stevens died on 25 February 1973 in Georgetown, Williamson Co., TX.

He was buried in 1973 in Abilene Municipal Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor Co., TX, Findagrave #62239428.

Occupation: Retail Grocer (1920.) Horace Bishop Stevens lived on 9 January 1920 in Mexia, Limestone Co., TX.¹

John Randolph Ferris was born on 23 September 1907 in Washington, D.C.; son of Fred and Lucy (Kerrick) Ferris. He married Joanne Dee Collins, daughter of Fred Collins and Martha White, on 12 April 1933 in San Pedro, Los Angeles Co., CA. John Randolph Ferris died on 21 June 1979 in San Diego Co., CA.

Clara Elizabeth "Elizabeth" Stevens was born on 14 June 1918 in Mexia, Limestone Co., TX.¹ She married William Carter Couch on 16 June 1939 in Abilene, Taylor Co., TX. She died on 16 June 1991.

She was buried in June 1991 in Abilene Municipal Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor Co., TX, Findagrave #62195661.

Clara Elizabeth "Elizabeth" Stevens lived in 1975 in Austin, Travis Co., TX.

Mildred Elizabeth Browder was born on 14 August 1889 in Sweetwater, Monroe Co., TN; daughter of Charles David and Nettie Grace (Adkins) Browder.¹ She married Fred DeVault Reeves, son of George Alexander "Fred" Reeves and Addie May Boring, on 14 October 1919 in McMinn Co., TN. Mildred Elizabeth Browder died on 18 October 1921.

She was buried in October 1921 in West View Cemetery, Sweetwater, Monroe Co., TN, Findagrave #35225755.

William Carter Couch was born on 19 April 1918 in Snyder, Scurry Co., TX; son of James W. and Maude "Queenie" (Carter) Couch. He married Clara Elizabeth "Elizabeth" Stevens, daughter of Horace Bishop Stevens and Clara Boring Reeves, on 16 June 1939 in Abilene, Taylor Co., TX. William Carter Couch died on 7 August 1998.

William Carter Couch lived in 1979 in Austin, Travis Co., TX.

James Stevens Couch was born on 5 September 1943 in Taylor Co., TX. He died on 7 February 1975 in Austin, Travis Co., TX,

He was buried in February 1975 in Abilene Municipal Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor Co., TX, Findagrave #62195692.

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