Bertha May Needham

Bertha May (Durbin) Needham, of Grove, OK, passed away on October 26, 2023.

She was born to Herbert F. and Nolda J. (Walker) Durbin on June 15, 1942 in Clovis, NM.

On September 3, 1961, she married Bobby Ray Needham, son of George Dewey and Dott Geneva (Reasoner) Needham. Bobby and Bertha had 3 children, Alan Ray, Daryl Ray, and Roger Lee. They made their home in Tulsa, OK, moving a few years later to Grove, OK. Around 1970, they purchased a farm near Grove. While on the farm, they worked at raising livestock, gardening, fishing, and planting pecan trees.

For several years, they attended Lakeview Assembly of God. Bertha taught Sunday school and sang at church. She also sang with her siblings. Later they attended Butler Baptist Church.

Around 1983, they attended the Cornerstone Church of Grove.

In her later years, she attended the Grove First Assembly of God, serving as secretary for a time.

She worked as a bookkeeper at Cornerstone Bank in Southwest City, MO for 24 years and cared for her husband as his eyesight failed.

After his passing, she helped take care of her mother, until her passing.

She enjoyed spending time with friends and family, baking, cross stitch, knitting, journaling, word problems, journaling, and writing and reading poetry.

She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 50 years; her parents, Herbert F. and Nolda J. (Walker) Durbin; her brother Don Durbin; her sisters Paula Benigar Smith and Barbara June Kenyon.

She is survived by three children, Alan Needham of Greensboro, NC, Daryl Needham of Pittsburg, KS and Roger Needham of Vinita; a grandson, Tyler Miller of Phoenix, AZ; brothers Herbert Durbin of Owasso, Joseph Durbin of Wyandotte, and Dan Durbin of Newton, KS; and a host of friends, nieces, nephews and other family.

Services will be on Saturday, November 4, 2023, in the Chapel at Worley Luginbuel Funeral Home in Grove at 1 p.m.