Essie June Tennison

After a long and faithful walk among us, Essie June Tennison (maiden name Parker) was called home into the arms of her Heavenly Father on December 20, 2017 at the age of 91. June was preceded in death in 1994 by her loving husband of 50 years, Lue V. Tennison Sr.

June was born on June 25, 1926, at home in Okmulgee, OK to Essie Parker (Oliphant) and Homer Earl Parker. She had a twin brother, Homer (Junior) Parker who passed away in 2007 and eight other siblings. As a child, June worked the family farm and attended Wilson school. During World War II, at age 16, she moved to Henryetta to attend nursing school where she lived in the basement dorm of the hospital, attended classes in the mornings and worked in the hospital the rest of the day. Her state nursing license was “grandfathered in” after the war.

On July 29, 1944 June and Lue were married by the Justice of the Peace in Okmulgee. She always told the story that since they didn’t have much money at age 18, they shared a hot dog and each bought a Grapette for their wedding celebration! Shortly thereafter, they moved to Crane, Texas for Lue to work in the oil industry for Getty/Texaco Oil and June worked as a nurse in Crane for 47 years.

Her life’s joy was raising her daughter, Barbara Lou and son, L.V. Tennison Jr. She was involved in her children’s many activities over the decades. June was lovingly known as “Mimie” by her grandchildren and great – grandchildren. She was an excellent cook, especially when it came to making homemade butterscotch pie- a family recipe that’s been passed down through the generations! She loved to sew, needlepoint and crochet as she and her friends from Crane County Hospital made many beautiful items for people in their community.

June and Lue returned to Okmulgee in 1993 where they could live close to family members. In the last five years, June was cared for by her daughter and then son in their homes in Odessa and Granbury TX respectively.

June was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters, and four brothers. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Benefield (husband Robert), son, L.V. Tennison Jr. (wife Ellen), five grandchildren: Dr. Todd Odom (Maria) of Dallas, Shali Tennison Saville (Tasha) of Ft. Worth, Jessica Tennison Gray (Jordan) of North Richland Hills, Emily Tennison Hall (Jacob) of Edmond, OK, and Abigail Tennison of Atlanta, GA. June also has 10 great-grandchildren who love her dearly.

The Parker family has called Okmulgee home for decades and June’s surviving sister, Louise Parker Lasiter, brothers Morris Parker and Hayden Parker reside there today.

Services will be held at Schaudt’s Funeral Home, 220 S. Alabama, Okmulgee OK at 2:00 pm on Thursday, December 28, 2017. Interment will follow at the Okmulgee Cemetery.