Mary Ellen Wood

MARY ELLEN (COONROD) WOOD - OBITUARY

Mary Ellen (COONROD) Wood went to her heavenly reward on February 4, 2021. Poteet Funeral Home of Pawnee has been entrusted with the arrangements.

She was born Mary Ellen Cantrell in McIntosh County, Ok on November 18, 1928. Her parents were Rufus and Flossie Cantrell. She went to grade school and high school at Pawnee, Ok and graduated in 1946.

She married Roy Leon Coonrod, of Drumright, Ok in Sedan, Kansas on May 10, 1947. They lived in and around the Stillwater area where Ellen was a homemaker and mother of 3. In 1966 they moved to Morrison, Ok and she continued raising her family of 5. In Morrison, she joined
the Morrison Christian Church. Here the family attended church and Ellen was a member of various committees and volunteered with homemade pies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls for church bazaars and bake sale fundraisers for the school. Ellen was a FFA and FHA Booster, Music Booster and Room Mother, many times.

Ellen was absolutely the greatest mother in the world. She loved to cook bread, pies, all sorts of desserts and was a master at making meals out of practically nothing at all. Ellen sewed clothes for her children and just did everything she could to make their lives enjoyable. She was never selfish –always kind and put our needs before her own and we never really wanted for anything. Ellen not only was a hard worker and role model for us all, she was a dedicated Mother. She taught us so many lessons of life mostly by example rather than with words. Ellen always made us feel like we had plenty and we were together against the world. She worked hard all her life and her grandkids and great grandkids were her complete and utter joy. Ellen loved spending time with them, telling stories of the past, going camping with all of them and cooking bread, biscuits and gravy and anything you can think of she would cook for you and be so happy to do so for you.
For a time, from 1970-1975 she ran her household and did babysitting for local working mothers but still gave us all the love she
could and cared for us. Then from about 1975 to 1984 Ellen worked for OSU at a sorority called Zeta Tau Alpha as their cook. On the OSU campus, she continued to make her culinary delights such as Cor don Blue, Beef Stroganoff and Crème Puffs to die for!! She was such a good cook that the other sororities would offer her more money to come and work for them!! She continued at Zeta Tau Alpha as their cook until 1985 when she opened Ellen’s Bakery in Morrison, OK across from the Citizen State Bank. Ellen and her youngest daughter, Patrisha Coonrod Arnold, ran Ellen’s Bakery from 1985 up till 1990 making donuts, pies, cakes, cookies of all sorts and candies. Later, they even served a noon time meal of the day which they had no trouble selling. Most of the town showed up at some time of the day or other.
In 1990, Ellen divorced her husband of 42 years. In 1991, Ellen married Jim Wood and for a time lived in Vinita, OK.
In 1997 Ellen moved to Blackwell, OK to be close to her oldest daughter, where she donated much of her time to the Goodbye Shop, a charitable organization. She thrived in Blackwell enjoying much of her time spent with her daughter, Kathleen and her son-in-law, Lewis Newman, where they would take her to many different places dancing country and western dances, which she absolutely loved.
Around 2005 she moved to Stillwater, OK to be close to her other daughter, Penny Berg, Son-in-law, Troy, and her granddaughter Maegan Berg. Here she enjoyed visits from her family and friends from the Stillwater area. Mary Ellen again volunteered her time and baking skills to help those around her. She was always willing to help those in need and often taught us that by example.
Then in 2009, she decided to move to Perry, OK to be close to her youngest daughter, Patrisha Arnold, Son-in-law, Kevin, and her Grandchildren, Kalin and Karlie Arnold. She has lived there in Perry ever since making cookies, breads and all the things she has enjoyed cooking thru the years of her life for the Arnold Family and close friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, 8 siblings, and one Grandson, Justin Coonrod of Morrison, OK.
She is survived by 3 daughters and two sons, Patrisha Arnold and husband, Kevin Arnold, of Perry, OK, Penny Berg and husband, Troy of Stillwater, OK, Kathleen Newman and husband, Lewis of Blackwell, OK and Leon Coonrod and wife, Virginia of Morrison, OK and Michael Coonrod and wife, Darla of Perry, OK.
GRANDKIDS:
Angie Hammons, Cristy Denton, Heath Lindley, Heather Kistler, Karlie Arnold, Kalin Herren, Maegan Berg, Monty Clark, Randy Newman, Sarah Grooms and Katrina Cottrell.
GREAT GRANDCHILDREN:
Audey Codwell, Austen Coonrod, Christian Lindley, Daniel, and Sierra Cottrell, Emarie and Paisley Newman, Olivia and Orion Grooms, Paisley, and Talon Kistler, Shane and Zack Hankins, Taylor, Tanner and Kayne Denton. Expecting Baby Herren of Kalin and Caleb Herren to arrive in June 2021.A public viewing will be held on Tuesday February 16, 2021 from 12:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Poteet Funeral Home in Pawnee, OK and BECAUSE OF COVID VIRUS MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED.
Funeral service will be held on Wednesday February 17, 2021 at 10:00 am with a short graveside service afterwards at the Morrison Cemetery, just east of Morrison, OK.


You may express your condolences
Online to the family at https://www.poteetfuneralhome.com/

"No flowers please, instead make a charitable donation to www.stjosephorphanage.org or the orphanage charity organization of your choice. Thank you to all family, friends and loved ones for all their loving kindness, caring and support at a time like this for our family. It really has meant alot to us all. Thank You."