Lena Estelle Gokey

Lena Estelle Fellows Gokey was born May 15, 1934 in Tecumseh, OK to Cecil Fellows and Mattie Bowden Fellows. She departed this life on December 27, 2020 having reached 86 years of age in Tulsa, OK after having sustained critical injuries from a car accident.
On September 4, 1954 she married Cyrus Gokey, the love of her life. They were happily married until his untimely death in April of 1972, leaving her with five young children to raise on her own.
She worked as a switchboard operator for Southwestern Bell in Tecumseh,Oklahoma before moving to Pawnee with her family in 1960. Lena continued to work as a sales clerk at the Montgomery Ward Catalog Store. She then began her 33 year career as a cafeteria cook for Pawnee Public Schools. She loved being able to serve the children and staff. While working at the school, she also held a part-time job at Ermy’s Department Stores. Lena enjoyed meeting and visiting with the many customers that came through the mini-mall.
She was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior and served at First Baptist Church of Pawnee for many years. One of her greatest enjoyments was her service as a Falls Creek Cook for 17 years, but the highlight of her life was teaching Sunday School and helping in the preschool department to teach the children about Jesus for 45 years. She loved the young children like her own grandkids.
Her hobbies included gardening and taking care of her many birds by keeping numerous bird feeders all around her yard. Lena also liked to sew and she made many of her children’s clothes when they were younger.
She was preceded in death by her husband Cyrus, her parents, Cecil and Mattie Fellows, an infant brother Kenneth Fellows, sister Benita Fellows Belcher and brothers Buford and Bernie Fellows.
Lena is survived by two sisters, Bonnie and John Krueger of Blanchard, OK and Bertha and Ted Cantrell of Midwest City, OK, her five children Deana and Larry McCall of Pawnee, Val and Traci Gokey of McLoud, OK, Jacquita (Quita) and Jeff Baker of Cushing, OK, Terry Withrow of Tecumseh, OK and Vic Gokey and fiancé Cheryl Foster of Pawnee. Her grandchildren Jared, Jill, Sarah, Brant, Lauren, Ashton, Scott, Annie, Chelci, Daniel, Cade, Ashley, Aaron, Matt, Brookyln, Mallori and Chloe. She had five great grandsons, Mason, Camden, Shepherd, Kashen and Kaden and a host of extended loving family members and friends.
There will be a private family memorial service on Saturday January 2, 2021 at 10:30am at The Pawnee First Baptist Church followed by a public graveside service at noon at Highland Cemetery in Pawnee.