Clara Louise Pelsue
1926-2022
Clara Louise Pelsue (nee Miller), died peacefully on July 8th, 2022, shortly after her 96th birthday, at Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City, OK. Louise was born on June 30th, 1926, on the family farm in Goddard, KS to Walter Miller and Annie Tuttle Miller. The oldest of 3 sisters, she attended Southwest Missouri State College in Springfield, MO, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Education and met the love of her life, Wesley. They were married on September 4th, 1948, in Goddard, KS, and shortly after moved to Detroit, MI where their 2 sons, Wesley Edwin III (Leeds) and Mitchell, were born. The family then moved to Joplin, MO where their 3rd child, Abigail, joined the family.
During their time in Joplin, where her focus was on raising her children, Louise kept her love of music and theater alive by participating in community productions such as My Fair Lady as well as singing in the church choir, and also worked part-time at a radio station alongside Bob Barker. Later after a move back to Kansas, she earned her Masters in Education from Pittsburg State Teachers College in Pittsburg, KS, and went on to teach high school English and drama in Wichita, where she loved directing musicals and plays. After a job change for Wes took them to Topeka, Kansas, Louise taught at Seaman High School, where she continued her love of being involved in high school theater. After retirement, Louise continued to substitute teach, and after relocating to Edmond, OK in the early 1990s, she enjoyed helping take care of her 2 granddaughters Hilary and Jamee.
Louise had a lifelong love of games (where she was known to cheat if you weren’t watching), and up until the end was as sharp as a tack and loved playing and winning BINGO at Epworth, and beating her great-grandchildren in UNO and other games. She loved animals, especially their Sheltie dogs and her Burmese cats Kiki, Louie, and Cola. Above all, Louise’s greatest love was spending time with her family. Growing up on the family farm, she greatly enjoyed time with her Dad on Lake Waltanna, and was very close to her Mother and 2 sisters, Roberta and Joyce, having long, frequent phone conversations with them up until their passing. In more recent years after the family had grown to include the next generation – her great-grandchildren, a highlight for Louise each year was a visit each June from family all over the US to celebrate her birthday. She was delighted every year for this mini family reunion, and especially enjoyed it for her 96th birthday this past June, just one week before her passing.
Louise is survived by her 2 children, Mitch (Louise) Pelsue and Abby (Jerry) Bass, 6 grandchildren, Brian (Amy), Fran (Jeremy), Danielle, David (Kelly), Hilary (Sean) and Jamee, 8 great-grandchildren, Camdyn, Ashton, Nolan, Chapman, Carter, Cole, Blakely, and Jackson, and nephews and niece Alan, Ralph, Kenny, Andy, and Kimberly. She is reunited in heaven with her husband of 59 years, Wes, who preceded her in 2008, her dear son Leeds, who preceded her in 1959, her parents Walter and Annie, and sisters Roberta and Joyce.
Visitation is scheduled for Saturday, July 16th, 2022, 12 PM at Matthews Funeral Home, Edmond, OK, with service to follow at Epworth Villa, Oklahoma City, OK in the Chapel at 3 PM. The family would like to thank the caretakers and staff at Epworth Villa for all the care given to Louise during her years there.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8