Lorene Mcclung

Lorene (Stokes) McClung was born to Myrtle Minnie (Wright) Stokes and Richard Lloyd Stokes in Wewoka, Oklahoma. She passed away with her family in attendance in Tulsa, OK on May 3, 2021. She liked climbing trees in her youth and had two siblings, Priscilla Stokes Secrest and Jesse Stokes, who preceded her in death. She tried her hand at picking cotton once; it wasn't for her. She worked all day, got paid 10 cents. She was a softball player into her 40's and was quite the competitor, traveling to the small towns around her. This earned her the nickname of Yogi. She saw the country go from radios to smartphones, still what she enjoyed most was sitting on her front porch, watching the world go by.

She met Foy Wallace McClung (10/4/21-4/4/96) on a double date with her sister and that double date eventually led to two marriages. It could have just as easily turned the other way. When her sister said: "Let's switch", Destiny was sealed. 1941 came along, dating as a 16 yr old in High School, almost ready to graduate from High School, Pearl Harbor intervened. A day that quite literally changed their lives forever. They married knowing that now we were in the war. It was only a matter of time before Foy would be called up.

December 24, 1941, Yogi and Foy, with Moma Stokes' permission and in her presence, were married. They stayed with the McClung's and the Stokes's as they set up their married life. As expected, Foy was drafted into the Army. Granny followed him wherever he went across the United States as he was sent to various bases to train. He decided to switch to the Air Force to join the same service as his brother, John Paul McClung, and that decision eventually led to him being a belly gunner in a B-52 bomber.

A child was born during that time period, Foy Dewayne McClung, August 20, 1943. Foy (Pampa) managed to leave the base to come and see the bouncing baby boy and wife before going back to base. She was 18 when her husband was shipped overseas.

As he went off overseas, Lorene and Moma Stokes, her mother, were "Rosie the Riveters" at McDonnell-Douglas in the OKC area. Moma Stokes was quite good at riveting, but Yogi not so much. They asked her to come to another part of the operation. Because she had a car; a rare thing back then, they had her driving several workers back and forth to the 24-hour continuous plant operation.

The Air Force was conducting bombing runs over German-controlled areas which eventually led to Foy being shot down and becoming a German POW. She said, 'There I was, married at 16, and now possibly a widow with a small baby at 18. We didn't know for quite some time whether he was alive or not.' Eventually, the Red Cross managed to get a letter to Yogi, he was alive.

Foy came back from the war after a stay in Florida (during a hurricane) in a hotel for rest, recuperation, and medical treatment. They came back to Oklahoma, where they would make their home for the rest of their lives.

The GI Bill truly changed so many lives. Pampa went to college and got his degree, Granny decided she would too. At a time and a place when the prevailing sentiment was that women should stay home and take care of children, she and her friend planned their schedules so they could watch each other's babies, and off to college, they went. She earned a Master's degree and taught Elementary through High School, later focusing on Special Education. She taught for decades. She also taught a GED course after retiring from teaching in the public schools.

During this busy and productive time, Richard Earl McClung was born on August 14, 1947. He and his brother would grow up at many small schools around Oklahoma as Foy coached and taught in schools, as well as Yogi. They moved to Fairfax, then, Hominy, OK, where they bought a house with 10 acres in 1963. She lived there for over fifty-eight years.

Children grow up and have their own families and Foy and Richard were no exception. Lori, Sheila McClung Tiouti, Brandy Compton, Tara McClung Minter, and Crystal are her granddaughters. Robert Marley and Robert Hammond are her grandsons. Trigger, a Shetland pony; several other horses, chickens, ducks, bird dogs, and various farm cats rounded out the true farm experience. All the grandchildren and great-grandchildren spent many happy years with Granny and Pampa at the farm. So many memories could fill a book.

The great-grandchildren: Amber Lee Meuir, Ryan Meuir, Said Jacob Tiouti, Sadique Tijani Tiouti, Coleman Minter, Kenadee Minter, Safir Sage Tiouti, Kendall Minter,Kylee Minter, Kai and Ez loved coming to see her at the farm and when she would come to see them.
A great great grandson, Mason Meuir lives in Las Vegas and she loved seeing his cute photos from the swimming pool on adventures with Grandparents.

Granny took care of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great great grandchildren in the little and the big ways. Education was encouraged and how could it be avoided with two educators as examples. Her loving support through the years changed her descendents' lives for the better and often she put them before herself.

The in-laws through the years were treated like family by her and it would be remiss not to mention them here: Katy Marley, Bill Marley, Sherry George McClung, Barbara McMasters, Diana Adams, Linda McClung, Mike Meuir, Hamid Tiouti, Justin Minter, and Lindsay Compton.

Through the years, there were many good and dear friends, David McGee and Mary Lou Cody among them. She may not have told them she loved them, but she did.

Granny enjoyed the casinos and visited the Hominy casino where she always enjoyed the special attention she received from the sweet people who worked there.

Please forgive me if I end it here, I know there are so many more people that could be mentioned. So many beautiful memories that could make up volumes of books. She goes on to keep you all fondly in her heart. When you think of her, think of her with happiness. She lived a good, long life, and as she said, "I have done everything I wanted to do and gone just about everywhere in these United States."

Good night Granny! I love you! We all love you!