© Tammie Chada

Karoma Cemetery

Alfalfa County, Oklahoma

Clara Berniece (Metcalf) Thornburgh

© Enid News & Eagle

June 24, 2007

Submitted by Jo Aguirre

Clara Berniece (Metcalf) Thornburgh

The funeral for Clara Berniece Metcalf Thornburgh, 87, will be 11 a.m. Monday at Anderson-Burris Funeral Home, 3002 North Van Buren, Enid. The Reverends Don John-son and John McLemore will officiate. A private burial will be in Karoma Cemetery, Goltry.

Berniece was born September 2, 1919, to William Logan and Irene Gipson Metcalf. She was born in the two-story house that was built in rural Jet where her father made a homestead after he made the Oklahoma Land Run in 1893. Berniece died Thursday, June 21, 2007, in St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Enid.

Berniece was a 1936 graduate of Jet High School. She attended Phillips University for two years and the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond for one semester. She became homesick and returned to Jet. She married Roy Lavern Thornburgh on July 28, 1940, in Cherokee. They farmed and ranched on the Thornburgh and Metcalf homesteads near Jet for 34 years. Berniece and Lavern moved to Enid in 1974. Berniece was a homemaker. She volunteered once a week at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center for 53 years. She also volunteered at Enid Central Christian Church library. Berniece and Lavern attended the Jet Christian Church from 1943-1974. There she was a Sunday school teacher, was active in children’s Christian youth groups, was a leader in Christian Youth Fellowship, and actively participated in Christian Women Fellowship. Since moving to Enid, Berniece became active at the Enid Central Christian Church. She loved being a homemaker and wrapped her life around her family.

Surviving are her husband Lavern, of the home; her children, Christie Irene Jackson and husband, Tim of Tigard, Oregon; Patrick Ivan Thornburgh and wife Joyce of Jet; and Cathie Lea Whipkey and husband Harold of Higgins, Texas; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Berniece was preceded in death by her brothers, Lee William Metcalf, Logan Dywane Metcalf, and Robert Leonadis Metcalf and by her sisters, Mary Evelyn Huff and Alice Irene Whitney.

Pallbearers: Heath Logan Jackson, Brian Wesley Thornburgh, Bryce Darrel Jackson, Justin Raye Diel.

Honorary Pallbearers: Sonja and Joe Bowen, Joe Newsom, Don Angle, Ray Smith, Glenn and Linda Crabbs.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Clara Berniece Thornburgh Memorial Fund at the Enid Central Christian Church or to the St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Volunteer Program.

Condolences may be made online at www.andersonbur ris.com. (Paid Obit 6-24-1)

The copyright (s) on this page must appear on all
copied and/or printed material.