Loretta Smith

Loretta Ruth Snell was born on January 31, 1937 to Curley and Ruby Pearl (Noe) Snell in Claremore, Oklahoma. She was raised in Kansas, Oklahoma with her 9 siblings where she also attended and graduated school. Loretta married Otis Eugene Wickliffe and was blessed with her beautiful children, Gregory Gene, Sandra Lea, Janet Sue, Tommy Eugene and Timothy Ray. She lived in Kenwood, Oklahoma with her young children, taking them to the creek down the hill to swim. She was a very talented seamstress and could sew anything, including clothing, dolls, and quilts, which she gifted to her grandchildren on special occasions later as she was able. She loved to sing Tammy Wynette louder than the radio as she ironed too.

Loretta had a career as a teacher at Head Start for more than 30 years where she taught many, many children. She loved children and working with children. She would often find learning crafts and activities for her own grandchildren when they spent school breaks and summers with her. Everyone loved to gather at Loretta’s home for some of the best cooking you ever ate because like most grandmothers she added love as an ingredient. Many grew up eating those amazing biscuits and gravy, superb mashed potatoes, and her awesome pumpkin pie. Although she may not have loved the cooking part as much as the rest of us admired her for it, she definitely exceled in the cleaning part. It was said you could eat off Grandma’s floors, do not to set your cup down if you weren’t finished because you would soon find it cleaned in the dish drain and do not get out of bed in the middle of the night or you will come back to the bed already made. If you were fortunate enough for her to spend some time at your house, you knew the benefits of that as well.

One thing about Loretta…she loved her family and she had a big family to love! Her mother, Ruby, and her sisters would often take trips together and always had a funny story to tell afterwards. She loved to meet up with her brothers as well and enjoy afternoons after retirement and have lunch. She also enjoyed going to Branson with her daughters and grandchildren. She spent time staying with her son and attending various activities of her grandchildren like plays or horse events at the community play days. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her!

Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, her sons Greg and Tim, one granddaughter Tara Renee Turtle, her grandmother Bertha, her brother Joe and sisters Bertha, Phyllis, Susie, and Faye. Survivors include daughter Sandra Wickliffe of Tulsa, Oklahoma, daughter Janet Glass of West Siloam, Oklahoma, son Tom Wickliffe and wife Terri of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. She had 9 granddaughters: Jamie, Carey, Brandi, Bliss, Gayla, Crystal, Stephanie, Brooke and Faith, and 2 grandsons Travis and Thomas. Great-grandchildren: Olivia, Madeline, Daniel, Micah, Hannah, Taylor, Landon, Hunter, Brinley, Connor, Cash, Beige, Isaiah, Kyng, Sterling, Zayne, Ivey, Jordyn, Adelyn, Payson, Anissa, Gabriel, Anjalissa, and Ryder. One great-great grandchild: Violet. Her brothers: Curtis Snell of Leach, Oklahoma, Jerry Snell and wife Cheryl of Colcord, Oklahoma, Douglas Snell of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Dennis Snell of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, special friend, Charley Smith of Ketchum, Oklahoma as well as a host of other family and friends.

Visitation for Loretta will be at the Worley-Luginbuel Funeral Home in Jay, Oklahoma, Monday, February 6th, 2023 from 4pm to 8pm. Services will be held Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 at 1pm at the Lowery Freewill Baptist Church in Twin Oaks, Oklahoma.