Surname Index
Updated: 08 Sep 2009

Daily Oklahoman, The 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
July 21, 1997

Salwa Kouri, 91, passed away Thursday, July 17, 1997. She was born in Jersey City, NJ on October 5, 1905. She came to OKC in 1931 with her parents, A.S. and Mary Kouri , now deceased. In 1932, she became one of the first women in Oklahoma to deal in oil and gas leases. Her specialty in the area of Indian leases earned her the reputation of being "the best little oil and gas lease hen in Oklahoma" (4'7" tall). She remained active in the oil business until she entered a nursing home in 1995. At the time of her death, she was a resident of Manor Care Health Center in OKC.

She started playing the violin at the age of 9 and used God's gift in many churches, the last of them at NW Baptist Church, OKC. Other ministries included working with children at churches for over 50 years, and playing her violin at nursing homes and with the orchestra at NW Baptist Church. Her family and friends will remember Salwa as a dedicated Christian with a heart of gold and generous almost to fault.

Survivors include 2 sisters, Eva Solomon of Westhaven Nursing in Stillwater, Eleanor Vandruff and husband, Jene of Westminster, Ca; 2 brothers, Sam Kouri and wife Velma, Sid Kouri and wife Carrie Lee, all of OKC; and 7 nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to NW Baptist Church, OKC, or to the donor's choice of charity. Graveside services will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 22, at Fairlawn Cemetery, followed by a memorial service to be held at 11:00 a.m. at N.W. Baptist Church. Those wishing to attend both services are welcome.

photo courtesy Teafor2.com July 2009.

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, July 2009. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?

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