Lois Arlene Failes

Mass of Christian Burial for Lois Arlene Failes will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, September 3, 2007, at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Waynoka. Father Damien Lawrence will be the celebrant. Interment will be in the Memorial Hill Cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home of Waynoka, LLC. Lois Arlene Nelson was born on May 16, 1931 near Waynoka to Thomas Samuel Nelson and Mary Ellen (Fritsch) Nelson and passed from this life August 31, 2007 at the Waynoka Nursing Center. Arlene attended Rose Valley and Waynoka Schools. She graduated Waynoka High School with the Class of 1949 and married Donald Ralph Failes on August 19, 1950 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alva. In 1951, Arlene had near fatal complications following childbirth that left her with compromised health. She owned and operated the Corner Drug Store in the late 1950?s. She thrived on the social contact with the high school students and many wagers were paid off with a free malt. Arlene worked in several capacities at E.P. Clapper Memorial Hospital in Waynoka, from housekeeping, nurses aid, to a private nurse for terminal patients. She took pleasure for the time she served as a surgeon?s assistant and enjoyed her years of service to the Waynoka EMTs. Arlene was most proud of her years of dedication to God and Country through the American Legion Auxiliary. She had held every office on the local, district, and state levels, most of them more than once. She was American Legion Auxiliary Department of Oklahoma President in 1999-2000. Don and Arlene traveled the state for the Auxiliary and loved every minute. Arlene was a very proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was an active member of the Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and the American Angus Association. She was preceded in death by both her parents; her husband, Don, on August 18, 2007, one day before their 57th wedding anniversary; her beloved daughter, Donneta Dollar, on June 10, 2007; her sister, Ester Criswell, and her nephew, Kermit Criswell. She is survived by her daughter, Debra Redd and husband, Dorsey, of Cherokee, OK; son-in-law, Buck Dollar of Wheeler, TX; five grandchildren, Stephanie Childress and husband, Colby, of Sayre, OK, Penny Clark and husband, Rowdy, of Canadian, TX, Ben Dollar of Panhandle, TX, Daresa Poe and husband, Allan, of Waynoka, OK, Dana Redd of Edmond, OK; four great grandchildren, Brooke and Dalton Childress, and Dacey and Rylun Clark; a great nephew, Bruce Criswell; other relatives and many friends. Memorials to the Waynoka EMTs and the Waynoka American Legion Auxiliary.

Lois Arlene Failes

May 16, 1931 - August 31, 2007