Mary Elizabeth Earp Combs Lakey

Funeral Services for Mary Elizabeth Earp Combs Lakey, 81, of Skiatook, were held April 5, 2010 at the Johnson Funeral Chapel in Sperry, OK. The Reverend Dale Neilson officiated and burial was in the Fairview Cemetery in Owasso, OK. Casket Bearers were Michael Southern, Scott Southern, Casey Goodson, Wayne Combs, Billy Tilley, Joey Magnesio, and Owen Collins. Honorary casket bearer was Herman Eller. Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Mary was born January 11, 1929 in Bixby, OK to George and Verna (Sturgis) Earp. She passed away April 1, 2010 in Skiatook, OK.

Mary was the little sister to Helen Earp. She was a woman who knew what she wanted in life. As she was finishing up in high school, she worked at Rexall drug. She graduated in 1949. She then attended a business school for 2 years where she earned her degree. She got her first job in business at ONG. She later got offered a job at McDonnell Douglas in the payroll department, where she was manager of the office and payroll. She always did her best and when she set out to do something, she got it done no matter how long or hard the road was to get there. She was a woman that never let anything stand in her way.

She met and married her first husband Glen Combs and they had four beautiful girls. They lived in the Owasso area. Later, she married J.C. "Sonny" Lakey in July of 1968 and they lived in Collinsville, Oklahoma. Together, they had one more daughter. Sonny passed away in August 1988. A few years later, she decided to move back to Owasso and live out her life. She enjoyed a drive to the park and walking about a mile a day. She also liked to feed the ducks that lived there. In 2002, she moved for the last time to Skiatook, Oklahoma.

She loved to cook, especially for her family. Mary could cook a meat loaf that was out of this world. She also loved to shop just about anywhere, but Wal-Mart (as she would call it: walls mark) was one of her favorites. On the weekends if the weather was nice you could find her out looking for yard sales. Mary loved to just be outside on a beautiful day and watch birds fly or sing. We also can't forget anything sweet or chocolate and she had to have Pepsi and double stuffed Oreos in her house

Over the years her family grew and along with that her heart did as well. She loved them all very much. Mary always put others first and her family was the most important thing in her life. She loved to show off pictures or to tell stories about them to anyone that had time to listen and she was proud of them all.

Mary was baptized at Collinsville First Baptist Church as a young girl. She loved the lord with all her heart and now she is in heaven with her father and maker watching over all of us. If she was here right now, she would say "Don't worry, that was my job. I'm healthy, happy, and loving everyone still. I was the link that held my family together and one by one we will all be together again."

She is survived by her daughters, Gayle Cheetham of Broken Arrow, Marsha Goodson of Owasso, Marilyn Magnesio and husband Joe of Houston, TX, Brenda Peters and husband Ronny of Hominy, and Linda Tilley of Skiatook, 6 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, 4 great-grandsons; and 4 great-granddaughters and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sonny Lakey; parents, George and Verna Earp; sister, Helen Earp; sons-in-law, Mike Tilley and Jim Cheetham.

Online condolences can be made at johnsonfhsperry.com.