Audie Lula Gilpin

Memorial Services for Audie Lula (Taylor) Gilpin, 92, of Sperry, were held Friday, September 13, 2013 at the Johnson Funeral Chapel in Sperry, OK. The Dr. Chet Veazey officiated. Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Audie was born May 13, 1921 in Lequire, OK to Cliff and Lizzie (Stout) Taylor. She passed away September 9, 2013 in Sperry, OK.

Audie was the last survivor of six siblings. She was a woman of many talents. Audie worked for many years at Purnell’s Drug Store, Southwestern Bell in Sperry, Neese Oil Company and Bob Martin’s Machine Shop. She loved the outdoors, including gardening, working in her yard, growing flowers, fishing, and watching birds and wildlife. She loved to see the eagles around the Keystone Dam and watching the deer at Sequoyah Park and many other locations. Audie also loved seeing the bison at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. Her last trip there was with Pat and Shellie in 2012. Another enjoyable wildlife sighting for Audie was with Bill and Sharon a few years ago when she saw a large bobcat just outside the Osage Hills State Park.

She loved flowers. Flowers were the best gift you could give her on her birthday or Mother’s Day. Audie loved getting out of the house and going places. She liked garage sales and flea markets. Audie loved her home, but was not much of a TV watcher. She liked music, especially the old songs she remembered from her childhood. Audie was an expert quilt maker. She made many beautiful quilts over the years, and gave them all to her children. Audie also liked to paint with oil paints. Audie loved seeing the kids at Halloween and looked forward to handing out candy with Paul each year.

As a child, for most of her school years, she had to walk long distances to school, as much as seven miles. She was quite intelligent, and was really good at figuring out how to repair many things on her own. She had her own set of tools and enjoyed using them. Audie was very adept with hand tools, and built her own bird boxes and squirrel houses.

She was involved with her children’s schooling, was active in PTA, and served for many years as home room mother.

In 2011 she was in the Sperry Old West Fest Parade, being honored as a Sperry “long-timer,” having lived in Sperry since 1949.

Audie’s health deteriorated significantly in the last several years, but she still enjoyed getting outside for meals and other activities, and going places while she was able. With help of her family and friend, Faith Anglen, she was able to stay in her home.

She is survived by her children, Pat Phillips of Sperry, Paul Gilpin of Sperry, and Sharon Goswick of Tulsa; one grandchild, Shellie Phillips of Sperry; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, John Gilpin who passed away in 2002.