Obit Index
Updated: 20 Mar 2009

Daily Oklahoman, The 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
December 29, 2008

Rita Pryor, 95, of Oklahoma City, passed away on December 27, 2008, after a brief illness. She was born on November 2, 1913 to William Montgomery and Mary Etta Bass in Sallisaw, OK. Her early years were spent in Antlers and Hastings, OK where her family owned a grocery store. Rita graduated from high school as a 16-year-old valedictorian. She graduated from Oklahoma State University and became a secondary school teacher.

She later met the love of her life, Leo A. Pryor, who was also a teacher and sports coach. She became a full-time mother and homemaker after the birth of three children, and in 1948 moved to Oklahoma City, where Leo could pursue the insurance business and became manager of Bankers Life of Des Moines. Her life was centered on her family and church work at Northwest Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school, and sang in the choir. She joined the church in 1950 and remained faithful to it these many years. She was a devoted reader, gardener and fisherman, and loved spending time with her neighbors.

Rita was preceded in death by her husband Leo, her sister Rheba Allen, and her brother Bill. She is survived by her sister Rheva Reding, her daughter Janie Pryor Tubb of Oklahoma City, her sons, John of Ardmore and his wife Martha, and Joe of Oklahoma City. She was devoted to her grandchildren, Jonathan Tubb of Burkburnett, Texas, Lesley Dvorak and her husband Drew of Ardmore, and John Evan Pryor and his wife Jessica of Sand Springs, OK. She is also survived by many devoted nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

A service is planned at Northwest Baptist Church at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, December 31, 2008, located at 3030 NW 23rd St., and a family graveside service is planned for 3:00 p.m. at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Ardmore, OK. Viewing is available on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 from noon - 7:00 p.m. at Smith & Kernke Funeral Home at 1401 NW 23rd. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Northwest Baptist Church.

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

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

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