Obituary for Elizabeth Jane Gilliam
Elizabeth "Betty" Jane Gilliam, 78, died April 4, 2023. There will be a celebration of her life held at a later date and will be announced on Strode website when scheduled.
Betty was born October 29, 1944 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Paul A. and Elizabeth Hazel (Palmer) Smith. She attended Oklahoma State University where she earned her BA and MBA. In 1980 she married Murriel Gilliam.
Betty enjoyed quilting and belonged to the Cimarron Valley and Oklahoma State Quilting Guilds. She also enjoyed overseas traveling as well as hiking, camping and backpacking.
Betty's Hobby of Quilting and teaching machine quilting was a great pleasure of her life. Many days she would quilt six to ten hours in a day. Many of her quilts were often gifts to others. She won many awards and ribbons for her quilts. If you drove by her home at night you would see her at the machine as she would forget to close the shades.
Her desire of knowledge of foreign countries led to numerous trips to Europe and African countries. Her trips overseas were almost always with her college room-mate Marjo Van Patton. Both were very interested in the wild-life and science trips with Over Seas Adventure Trvel. Her and husband Murriel made cruises to Central America, Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and Alaska along with many side trips and car trips to the east coast states which also included experiencing a hurricane and flooding. She loved traveling off the beaten path. Murriel mentioned that she had been in every state except North Dakota.
When son Mike became a Boy Scout, and advanced to the group that had both male and female members, she was talked into becoming an adult sponsor; thus her back packing hobby began with trips to Philmont National Park, New Mexico.
After her engagement to Murriel, her hobbies of snow skiing and boating were started. Her skiing continued until knee replacement surgery. Her boating was to please husband and sons.
Betty is preceded in death by both parents and her first husband, David Simpson.
She is survived by her husband; sons John Michael Simpson and Robert A. Simpson; grandsons Zachery, Avery, and John D. Simpson; two cousins as well as numerous second cousins.
Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com
Betty was born October 29, 1944 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Paul A. and Elizabeth Hazel (Palmer) Smith. She attended Oklahoma State University where she earned her BA and MBA. In 1980 she married Murriel Gilliam.
Betty enjoyed quilting and belonged to the Cimarron Valley and Oklahoma State Quilting Guilds. She also enjoyed overseas traveling as well as hiking, camping and backpacking.
Betty's Hobby of Quilting and teaching machine quilting was a great pleasure of her life. Many days she would quilt six to ten hours in a day. Many of her quilts were often gifts to others. She won many awards and ribbons for her quilts. If you drove by her home at night you would see her at the machine as she would forget to close the shades.
Her desire of knowledge of foreign countries led to numerous trips to Europe and African countries. Her trips overseas were almost always with her college room-mate Marjo Van Patton. Both were very interested in the wild-life and science trips with Over Seas Adventure Trvel. Her and husband Murriel made cruises to Central America, Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and Alaska along with many side trips and car trips to the east coast states which also included experiencing a hurricane and flooding. She loved traveling off the beaten path. Murriel mentioned that she had been in every state except North Dakota.
When son Mike became a Boy Scout, and advanced to the group that had both male and female members, she was talked into becoming an adult sponsor; thus her back packing hobby began with trips to Philmont National Park, New Mexico.
After her engagement to Murriel, her hobbies of snow skiing and boating were started. Her skiing continued until knee replacement surgery. Her boating was to please husband and sons.
Betty is preceded in death by both parents and her first husband, David Simpson.
She is survived by her husband; sons John Michael Simpson and Robert A. Simpson; grandsons Zachery, Avery, and John D. Simpson; two cousins as well as numerous second cousins.
Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com