Elsie Ruth Lamebull Ross

Elsie Ruth was known as such as her aunt Elsie married to Bill Lamebull was known as Elsie Lamebull.

Elsie Ruth was born in Enid on June 1, 1933, to Mr. and Mrs. (Pearl) John Lamebull.

She died Dec. 16, 2023, in the early morning hours.

It appears that she may have passed away in her sleep. The family was notifi ed that CPR was being administered shortly after 7 a.m. after being discovered unresponsive after a shift change.

She was doing fine up to her 90th Birthday on June 1, even attending her party and getting around and getting ready unassisted. She began to decline shortly thereafter.

All her wishes were followed. Everything was as she wanted it to be.

Elsie and her brother John who preceded her in death grew up at the Lamebull family home west of Kingfisher.

Elsie and her brother John were raised by her grandma and grandpa, Neuwakis and Sampson Lamebull until her Grandma Neuwakis’ death when Elsie Ruth was 14 years old.

She lived for a short time with her dad John Lamebull and returned home to Kingfisher where she graduated from Kingfisher High School in 1952. She became the first Cheyenne and Arapaho to graduate from high school in Kingfisher.

Her uncle Gilbert and his wife Lula acted as her guardians for several years. Upon graduation, Uncle Gilbert forbade her to travel to Wyoming.

Elsie Ruth then elected to attend Haskell Institute, presently known as the Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan.

When she left Kingfisher, many of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people came to see her off. She always told the story of an elderly Rena Cook gifting her five dimes, a small fortune back then.

Her uncle Gilbert gave her several postage stamps. The banker’s wife in Kingfisher gave Elsie Ruth a suitcase and bought her a few new items that a young lady would need.

Elsie Ruth was preceded in death by an infant John Sampson and her eldest child Enid Sue Tiger.

Elsie is survived by her children, Francis Ray Haag of Muskogee, Mona Haag Shea of Kansas City, Mo., David Cisneros of Powhattan, Kan., Pearl Haag of St. Joseph, Mo., Harvey Ross Jr. of Oklahoma City, Ralph Ross of Siloam Springs, Ark.

She is also survived by her niece she called her first baby, Marie Brown Brady; her nephew Hershel Gorham whom she was very proud of and her niece, Delita Starr.

She is also survived by a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a couple of great-great-grandchildren.

Elsie Ruth had many friends throughout the years that are still living: Ms. Angie Heriman of Kansas City, Mo.; Galila Mattwaoshe of Netawaka, Kan.; Mary Lou Powell of Oklahoma City; Sharon Blackwell of Oklahoma City; Jennifer Elise of Oklahoma City; Derrick, Esther, Miles and Dorothy of Andrews Square Apartments.

Elsie Ruth made friends easily, but was particular in making her friends.

One of her distant relatives/ friends is Ms. Glynna (Sammi) Jackson of Okla-homa City. Another is Ms. Jorene Combs of Oklahoma City.

Elsie Ruth gave to numerous charities to include Shriner’s Hospital for Children, the VFW, St. Francis Indian School, along with several others, every month.

She also gave to the Capitol Hill Hispanic Seventh Day Adventist Church in Oklahoma City to help build the first baptismal. They offered the family use of the church for services, however the number of expected attendees exceeded the capacity of the church.

Elsie Ruth worked in many different areas throughout her life.

Her last employment was as a contract worker with the Oklahoma City Indian Health Service Area Office where she started as a NICOA worker.

Elsie Ruth also had an assignment at the Murrah Federal Building in the Social Security Office that took the brunt of the April 19 bombing. She knew countless workers who perished.

Unbeknown to many, she fortunately accepted another assignment a couple months before the bombing.

Elsie Ruth worked in Gov. David Hall’s administration as a bookkeeper in the VA department.

She performed many jobs from city directory worker in Columbus, Ga., to chandelier maker/assembler in Hopkinsville, Ky.

Elsie Ruth was also a very talented shawl maker that tied a unique double tie. She sold hundreds of shawls in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Elsie Ruth collected TURTLES symbols of longevity and birther of creation in the traditional story of creation.

She had hundreds of turtles. Many of her productive, compassionate children and friends gifted her turtles on many occasions. Sadly, many of them went missing, which is not surprising as some of them were very valuable.

There was nothing Elsie Ruth wouldn’t do for her children and those she loved, not because she owed anybody anything or because she was trying to make up for something, but because she had it in her heart to do for others.

She used to buy ahead of birthdays and Christmas using Walmart’s layaway plan when they had one. She had new items stored in her home for gifts for special occasions and even giveaways if needed. She was always prepared.

She has passed that quality on to some of her children.

Will Onco, church deacon, Ardmore, officiated the services, both the wake and funeral which were held at Angie Smith Memorial United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City.

The Celebration of Life wake was Tuesday. The funeral was Wednesday and burial followed at Kingfi sher Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home, El Reno.