Nola Meese

Our beloved Nola Mae Robinson Meese went to be with the Lord on Friday, April 17, 2020.

Nola was born on May 17, 1933 in Cherokee County, Kansas. She was named after her mother’s favorite piano piece. The middle of three children, Nola, her older sister Marjorie, and younger brother Russell grew up in Baxter Springs, Kansas. Nola graduated from high school in 1951 and was involved in many school activities, but she was most proud of being the Drum Major. Nola also attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Nola met George Meese her freshman year of college and married him April 5, 1953. They had three children: Mark in 1958, Lisa in 1960, and Clark in 1962. They lived in multiple cities prior to permanently landing in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1965. Nola loved watching her kids grow up and their involvement in sports, choir, and church.

In 1976, Nola had the opportunity to start a new ministry at Bartlesville First Baptist Church. The Deaf community was growing, but the church did not have an interpreter to translate. Nola, at age 43, set out to learn sign language. She started with just Sundays at the church, but she quickly grew to becoming a full-time volunteer interpreter over the next 40 years. Even as recently as this past January, she was still interpreting for the Deaf. Nola received the Paul Harris Fellow Award given by the Rotary Club for her service to the Deaf community.

Nola was an active member of The Good Earth Garden Club, The Red Hat Society, and the Sew-and-Sews Sewing Club. She and George served as board members for the Tulsa Speech and Hearing Organization for 13 years. In addition to leading the deaf ministry for decades at BFBC, she loved singing in the choir, leading Sunday school classes, participating in the social and decorating committees, and serving in various other capacities at the church. Nola also loved to cook, fish, garden, and watch the St. Louis Cardinals play baseball and the Oklahoma City Thunder play basketball on television.

Nola and George have been able to see their children flourish and have children of their own. Their nine grandkids, four of which have spouses, and now three great-grandkids have been a huge part of their lives. Nola and George celebrated 67 years of marriage earlier this month.

Nola was an incredible wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. For we know how she was greeted in Heaven, as shared in Matthew 25:23, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Nola is preceded in death by her parents, Russell O. and Mabel Robinson; her sister, Marjorie Morton; and her brother, Russell D. Robinson. She is survived by her husband, George Meese; her three children, Mark Meese and wife Paula Meese (Tulsa, OK), Lisa Johnson and husband Rick Johnson (Bartlesville, OK), and Clark Meese and wife Traci Meese (The Woodlands, TX); her nine grandchildren, Joya Johnson-Christie and husband Bryan Christie (Grand Rapids, MI), Kristin Aylett and husband Justin Aylett (Tulsa, OK), Ryan Meese (Tulsa, OK), Cameron Meese (The Woodlands, TX), Abbe Lee and husband Brendan Lee (Norman, OK), Caly Johnson (Los Angeles, CA), Kalynn Hodgson and husband Chris Hodgson (San Antonio, TX), Macy Johnson (Tulsa, OK), and Olivia Meese (The Woodlands, TX); and her three great-grandchildren, Hudson Lee, Nolan Lee, and Blake Aylett; and a multitude of extended family members.

There will be a “celebration of life” service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, those interested may donate to Bartlesville First Baptist Church, designating “Nola Meese Memorial” on the memo line. Donations may be mailed to: Bartlesville First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1080, Bartlesville, OK, or online at mybfbc.org.