Obit for Vesta posted by Janet Laubhan Flickinger
Jan 20, 1920 - Oct 26, 2013

 

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/

Vesta Elizabeth Bauman passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 26 at the age of 93.  A memorial service will be held on Thursday, October 31, at 11:00 a.m. at McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church under the direction of Rev. Linda Harker.

Vesta was born on January 20, 1920 in Comanche Oklahoma to Jidy W. and Georgia Thomas Turner Whitlow.  Vesta was the eighth of eleven children.  She grew up in southwestern Oklahoma and graduated from Roosevelt High School.
She married the man of her dreams, Paul Stanley Bauman in Arapaho, Oklahoma on July 31, 1937.  They were married for 41 years before he preceded her in death.  Paul and Vesta had three sons, David “Stanley”, Marion  and Gene.  The raising of those three boys was the greatest joy in her life.
Vesta and Paul lived in southwestern Oklahoma before moving to Bethany for one year.  They then moved to Norman in 1952 so that they could be near the University of Oklahoma in order for their boys to attend when they had completed their high school years.  One of the highlights of her life came in May of 1968 when Stanley completed his doctorate degree in immunology at the University of West Virginia; Marion received his law degree from Harvard Law School and Gene completed his bachelor’s degree in business at OU.
Vesta worked at several jobs in Norman before joining Oklahoma Electric Cooperative in the accounting department.  She became the head of accounting before retiring in 1986 after 25 years of service.
Her spiritual life was always important to Vesta.  She grew up a Southern Baptist and was a Sunday School teacher for many years at Trinity Baptist Church.  She began attending McFarlin United Methodist Church in 1979 to worship with her sons and their families.  Vesta was a member of the Two-in-One class at McFarlin.  While at McFarlin, then minister, Rev. Phil Fenn, asked her to organize and run a Utility Assistance Program that she did with love and grace for many years.
Vesta was very involved in the community.  She served on the board of the Salvation Army, ABWA, Mission Norman, and Friends to International Students at OU.
Vesta loved her life as a mother, wife, and homemaker.  She loved to read and to go to the OU basketball games (both women’s and men’s).  She also loved music in the form of singing, playing the piano and even taking violin lessons on her father’s violin at the age of 70.  Vesta loved Sunday dinners and Lazy Daisy Cake.  She enjoyed being teased and teasing right back.  She had a great sense of humor.  Vesta will be remembered as a very cheerful person with a positive attitude.  Most of all she loved her family and enjoyed being around them.

Vesta was preceded in death by her parents, all siblings, husband, and one great-grandchild.  

She is survived by three sons, David “Stan” and wife Sharon, Marion and wife, Dianne, all of Norman, and Gene and wife Xeniya of Laguna Niguel, California.  She leaves behind eight grandchildren:  David  (Monica) of Watkinsville, Georgia, Mike (Ilia) of Melbourne, Florida, Tracy (Karl) Zimmerman of Frisco, Texas, Mark (Heather) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Sean (Renee) of Norman, Scott (Carol) of Norman, Anne “Katie” of Ladera Ranch, Calfornia, Elizabeth “Betsy” Simmons (Drew) of Phoenix, Arizonia.  Vesta was a great grandmother to 15:  David J., Erin, Robbie, Eric, Nathan, Jack, Bradley, Brynn, Brooke, Luke, Lauren, Parker, Mason, Henry, and Susie Grace.  Vesta was a great-great grandmother to Leah Rose and Oliver.

The family would like to extend its gratitude to the employees of Brookhaven Extensive Care for their kind, loving and professional care of Vesta over the last seven years.

Vesta and  her family were place in the care of the Vice Family at Havenbrook Funeral Home. 

Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to the McFarlin United Methodist Church Utility Assistance Program, P.O. Box 6390, Norman, OK 73070.|