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Unnamed Newspaper
Lindsay, Oklahoma 
December, 1987

Flossie Lee Beckett was born April 8, 1910 in Mounds, Oklahoma and passed away Wednesday, December 30, 1987 in Oklahoma City at the age of 77.

She had been a resident of Lindsay, OK since 1955 having moved from Wewoka, OK.

Mrs. Beckett was a retired school teacher and a member of the First Baptist Church.

Survivors include one son, Si Dean Beckett of Arlington, TX; two daughters, JoAnne Phillips of Yorba Linda, CA and Peggy Cochran of Oklahoma City; and seven grandchildren, Max (Joseph Edward Cochran III) and Mickey (Michael J. Cochran) Cochran of Oklahoma City, Karen Renfrow of Edmond, Steve and Mark Beckett of Arlington, TX and Larry and Gary Phillips of Yorba Linda, CA. (Also, seven great-grandchildren.)

She was proceeded in death by her parents Daniel and Mattie Eaton and in 1969 by her husband Si Beckett.

Services will be held Saturday, January 2, 1988 at 11:00 a.m. in the First Baptist Church in Lindsay. Rev. Alvin McConell, Jr., will officiate the services.

Interment will be held in Greenhill Cemetery, under the direction of the B.G. Boydston Funeral Home, Lindsay, OK.

Unnamed Newspaper
Lindsay, Oklahoma 
January, 1988

Well Known Teacher Dies

A well known Lindsay teacher, Flossie Lee Beckett, died Wednesday, December 30, 1987, in Oklahoma City. Mrs. Beckett was born April 8, 1910 in Mounds, Oklahoma to Daniel and Mattie Eaton.

She moved to Lindsay in 1955, moving here from Wewoka, OK. She was married to Si Beckett and they had two daughters, JoAnne and Peggy and one son, Si Dean Beckett.

Mrs. Beckett received her teaching degree from East Central State. She was chosen County Teacher of the Year and State Teacher of the Year in 1961 and was one of nine finalists for National Teacher of the Year. She along with nine finalists traveled to Washington, D.C. in 1962 and met with the President of the United States. 

Mrs. Beckett was the first teacher to be selected from this area since the basis of the selection was changed form length of service to achievements and contributions to the profession and community.

During her teaching career, Mrs. Beckett became well known throughout the southwest for her activities in the field of education.

During this time she served in many capacities in the local, district, state and national OEA committees and was on the state OEA-NEA committee at the time of her selection. She was also secretary of the Garvin County Classroom Teachers Association, president of the Lindsay chapter of Kappa Kappa Iota and chairman of the local PTA publicity committee.

She also served as president of East Central district Classroom Teachers Association, rural arts department of OEA, Rural Teachers association and reading and third grade departments of OEA.

She had also participated in a "Title VII" project in radio and television utilization and her classroom had participated in guidance studies being carried out by the University of Oklahoma.

She was an official delegate to South Central regional conference of Classroom Teachers, where she served as consultant to one of the groups.

Mrs. Beckett received many other honors during her teaching career, in addition to participating in various civic and community activities.
Mrs. Beckett retired from teaching in 1975 and was a member of the First Baptist Church.

She is survived by her son and two daughters; seven grandchildren, Max (Joseph Edward Cochran III) and Mickey (Michael J. Cochran) Cochran of Oklahoma City, Karen Renfrow of Edmond, Steve and Mark Beckett of Arlington, TX, and Larry and Gary Phillips of Yorba Linda, CA. (Also 7 great-grandchildren.)

Mrs. Beckett was preceded in death by her parents and in 1969 by her husband, Si Beckett.

Services were held Saturday, January 2, 1988 at 11 am in the First Baptist Church in Lindsay. Reverend Alvin McConnell, Jr., officiated the services.

Interment was held at the Greenhill Cemetery under the direction of B.G. Boydston Funeral Home in Lindsay.

The Daily Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
January 1, 1988

BECKETT

Flossie Lee (Eaton), passed away Dec. 30 at Baptist Hospital. Born April 8, 1910 in Mounds, OK. She was preceded in death by her husband, Si, her parents, Daniel J. and Mattie Cumby Eaton. She is survived by her children, JoAnne Phillips, Yorba Linda, Ca., Peggy Cochran, OKC, Si Dean Beckett, Arlington, Tx.; grandchildren, Larry and Gary Phillips, Yorba Linda, Ca., Max (Joseph E. III) and Michael Cochran, OKC, Karen Renfrow, Edmond, OK, Steve and Mark Beckett, Arlington, Tx., and 6* great grandchildren. She was a retired teacher, teaching in Seminole County and Lindsay during her career. Active in professional organizations related to education, she was a life member of the OEA and NEA. She was Oklahoma Teacher of the Year in 1961, National Teacher of the Year in 1962, State President of the Assn. of Classroom Teachers of OEA in 1972 and State President of Kappa Kappa Iota 1969-70. Services are 11 am Saturday, Jan. 2, First Baptist Church in Lindsay.

(*The number of great grandchildren was actually 7 at the time. Typographical error in newspaper.)

Biographical Information of Interest on Flossie Lee Eaton Beckett:

Bachelor of Science in Education, East Central State College, Ada, Oklahoma, 1947
Master of Education, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 1951
Doctorate of Philosophy, Colorado State Christian College, Evergreen, Colorado, 1972

Who's Who of American Women. Sixth edition, 1970-1971. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1969. (WhoAmW 70)
Who's Who of American Women. Seventh edition, 1972-1973. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1971. (WhoAmW 72)
Who's Who of American Women. 10th edition, 1977-1978. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1978. (WhoAmW 77)
Who's Who in the South and Southwest. 13th edition, 1973-1974. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1973. (WhoSSW 73)

Garvin County, Ok Teacher of the Year 1961
Oklahoma Teacher of the Year 1961 - Presentation by Governor
Runner-Up for National Teacher of the Year 1962 - Presentation by President of US
National Teacher of the Year 1962 Honor Roll, presented by the US Office of Education, The Council of Chief State School Officers, ant LOOK Magazine in recognition of outstanding achievement as a teacher.
Featured in LOOK Magazine 1962

National Education Association of the United States, Washington, DC, Life Membership, 1964
Classroom Teachers National Conference, 1964, 1965
Life Member, Oklahoma Education Association, 1966

Personalities of the South, Honoring America's Leaders, Distinguished, Outstanding, Notable, selected to appear in the 1969 edition "Personalities of the South" in recognition of past achievements, outstanding ability, and service to community and State.
Alpha State President, Kappa Kappa Iota, 1969-1970

Life Member, Kappa Kappa Iota, 1970
Award for Distinguished Service in the Education Field, included in volume VIII Dictionary of International Biography, 1970
Two Thousand Women of Achievement for Distinguished Achievement, presented in London, England, in 1970
Alpha Delta Kappa Honorary Sorority, 1971

Community Leaders of America, selected to appear in 1971 edition of Community Leaders of America.
Oklahoma Association of Classroom Teachers, Oklahoma Education Association, Professional Leadership and Service to the Teaching Profession award, 1972
Acknowledged as an Important and Valuable Human Resource of the United States of America, selected for inclusion in the Library of Human Resources of the American Bicentennial Research Institute, 1973
The World Who's Who of Women, presented Cambridge, England, 1973
Assistant State Director of the American Association of Retired Persons, 1982
The National Register of Prominent Americans and International Notables

Named by OK Governor Henry Bellmon, State of Oklahoma, Member, Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, 1966.

OK Governor Dewey F. Bartlett, State of Oklahoma, designated Flossie Beckett the proud and historic title of OKIE: "This title is conferred with the strong belief that an OKIE is a fortunate, gifted and versatile person and the further belief that it's great to be an OKIE knowing that this entitles the bearer to be an honored citizen from Oklahoma, Key to Intelligence and Enterprise." 1970

OK Governor David Hall, State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission and Northeastern State College, Oklahoma Aerospace Education award, 1972.

Named by OK Governor George Nigh, State of Oklahoma:
· Member, State Burial Board, 1981
· Alternate Member, Governor's Advisory Committee on Aging, 1981
· Member, Governor's Advisory Committee on Aging, 1983

Buried in Greenhill Cemetery, Lindsay, Oklahoma.

[Additional submitted by Reseacher: Karen A. Cochran Renfrow (Jan 2002)
My grandmother, Flossie Lee Eaton Beckett, who was born in Mounds, Oklahoma. Her father, Rev. Daniel Johnson Eaton was the preacher from about 1905 to abt 1910 at the Mounds First Baptist Church. Flossie's mother was Martha "Mattie" Cumbey. There are still Cumbey descendants living in the Mounds area. Rev. Eaton, as well his daughter, Mary Frances Eaton, are buried in the Mounds Cemetery.]