Orpha Anise Phenis

Notes:

Address in 1926: RR4, Perkins, OK.

Orpha Anise Phenis was born in Madison, Kansas, September 28, 1875 and died September 24, 1953, at Cresthaven Rest Home, Olympia, Washington, at the age of 77 years, 11 months and 27 days. She was the daughter of William Riley & Flora Jane Phenis. She moved with her parents to Oklahoma at the age of 14 when her father made the run for the opening of Oklahoma Territory in 1889, staking a claim near Guthrie. The family resided there until 1897 when they moved to Perkins.
She taught school two years in Logan County and 14 years in Payne County, including two years at Forest Valley where she was teaching when she was married to Edwin Thomas on September 21, 1904, at Agra, Oklahoma. To this union, five children were born.

The couple lived in Ripley until 1906 when they moved to a farm in Forest Valley community where they resided until a few months before the death of her husband. She was a member of the Christian Church and a charter member of Forest Valley Farm Women's Club and remained a member until she moved to Stillwater. After the husband's death, she lived at 1005 Main Street, Stillwater, until four years ago when she moved to Olympia, Washington, to make her home with her daughter, Lorene.

Her father built the original structure of the present Christian Church at Perkins. Her father, mother, and brother Evart Phenis were charter members of the Church at Perkins when it was organized on Sunday, March 6, 1898, and her membership was transferred to this church about 1899. Her father was one of the first three elders of the church and her brother, Evart, was clerk of the church board in 1899.

Survivors include three children: Wayne H. Thomas, 612 South Ninth, Yukon, Oklahoma; Mrs. Lorene Mahurin, Olympia, Washington; and Mrs. DeeVilla Clark, Stillwater, Oklahoma; one sister, Mrs. Ethel McWethy, 1010 W. Admiral Road, Stillwater, Oklahoma, six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband on January 28, 1945, and by two children who died in infancy, her parents, and one brother.

Orpha married Edward Valejo Thomas on 21 Aug 1904 in Agra, Lincoln County, Oklahoma. Edward was born on 14 Apr 1872 in Xenia, Bourbon County, Kansas; died on 30 Jan 1945 in Ripley Oak Park Cemetery, Ripley, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Ripley Oak Park Cemetery, Ripley, Payne County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Described as "of southwest Stillwater"

Payne County area schoolteacher Dee Villa Clark of Perkins died Thursday, Sept. 3, 1987 in Stillwater Medical Center at the age of 81. Her funeral is scheduled Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the First Christian Church in Perkins.

Internment will be held in the Elm Grove Cemetery. Charles Wall and the Rev. C. Jeffrey Gill will officiate at the service, which are being arranged by Strode Funeral Home.
Mrs. Clark was born in Ripley on Feb. 4, 1906, the daughter of Edwin V. and Orpha (Phenis) Thomas. She lived in the Ripley area most of her early life, except for a year when her parents lived in Tonkawa.

She married Earl Harrison Clark on Feb. 21, 1934, on her parents farm west of Ripley. The couple lived in or near Stillwater until he retired in 1968 and they moved to Perkins.
She graduated from Oklahoma A & M College in 1930 and earned her teaching certificate. She taught school for 38 years in a number of towns in the area and was a member of the First Christian Church.

Mrs. Clark is survived by her husband; one son, Arthur Edwin Clark of Oklahoma City; one grandchild; one brother, Wayne Haskell Thomas of Yukon; and one sister, Mrs. Howard (Lorene) Mahurin of Olympia, Wash.

Dee married Earl Harrison Clark on 21 Feb 1934 in Payne County, Oklahoma. Earl was born on 9 Aug 1902 in Oklahoma; died on 30 Nov 1994 in Perkins, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Elm Grove Cemetery, Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Wayne married Alma Mitchell on 1 Jun 1934. Alma was born on 22 Aug 1908. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

RR2 Box 109, Olympia, Washington, 98502

Family/Spouse: Howard A. Mahurin. Howard was born on 19 Sep 1917 in Oklahoma; died on 7 Oct 1991 in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]