© Written by: Margaret Haynes
Edith Elizabeth (Collyar) Newland
Edith Elizabeth Collyar, the only daughter of Claude Oran and Mary Mayme (Falkenberg) Collyar, was born March 1, 1923 in Renfrow, Grant Co., Oklahoma.
Prior to her death, Edith and Tude had been married for 66 years. Edith was married in 1939, in Oklahoma, to Byron Ruel "Tude" Newland. He was born July 19, 1914 in Kay Co., Oklahoma and he died shortly after Edith on August 16, 2006, at age 92 years, in a nursing home in Blackwell, Oklahoma. Edith and Tude had a son Billy Dean Newland.
Edith shared family information with me, both in family records and on the telephone while I was gathering family information. She told me about life on her parents' farm when money was scarce, and that everyone had to work to produce the food to feed the family. And about her father who was never in good health, after having become so ill during his service in World War One. But she called him "a sweet dad". And about her mother who had to take charge when her husband become unable to do a lot of things, that her mother ran a "tight ship" but had a good heart and always had big gardens and farm animals so all the family was fed as long as they all worked together.
Edith also talked about the joys in life, one time she said, "I bet they told you the Collyars love to dance, I know I do." And she was right as nearly all the Collyars said the same. She was always a lot of fun to talk to and was very energetic for her age until she became ill which seemed to sap her strength. Edith was a very pretty woman. And after seeing a photo of her parents when they were first married, I knew where she got her beauty as they are a handsome couple.
She told me about older Collyar relatives, like her Grand Uncle Bill Collyar who used to visit her parents' farm when she was a child. He could be a tough person but was different with the children, teaching the kids how to fish and catch turtles and how to cook them. She said she never ate so much turtle in her life as then. And she told how her Uncle Bill carved many wooden animals, several grandchildren still have these wonderful carvings. And she had stories about her Grandpa and Grandma Charley and Myrtle Collyar, and her Grand Uncle Harry Collyar and her Uncle Earl and Aunt Anna in Blackwell and so many more.
Edith Elizabeth (Collyar) Newland died June 30, 2006 at the age of 83 years, in Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in Blackwell, Kay Co., Oklahoma, to where she had moved when she became so ill. Her husband Tude was also in a nursing home in Blackwell, but prior to their illness, they lived at 907 W. Bridge in Blackwell, Oklahoma.
Edith was cremated and there was a memorial service for her on July 6, 2006 in the Blackwell Community Church with the Rev. Darrell Herde and John Newland officiating. Roberts and Son Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. And her ashes were buried in Blackwell IOOF Cemetery in Blackwell.
She was survived by her husband Tude, a son Bill D. Newland of Blackwell, Oklahoma; three brothers, Jim Collyar, John Collyar of Ponca City, and Melvin Collyar of Newkirk, four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, who are buried in Caldwell, Kansas, and brothers, Edward Collyar, Frank Collyar and Wayne Collyar.
Her husband Byron Ruel "Tude" Newland, survived her but prior to her death he had willed his body to medical science at the University of Oklahoma. (see miscellaneous obits of Kay Co. Oklahoma)
