Leota Lafern Tolbert

Leota Lafern Tolbert, 89, went to be with her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on Saturday, November 11, 2023. At the time of her death, she was a resident of the Bartlesville Heritage Villa Nursing Center under the care of Comforting Hands Hospice. Leota was born July 1, 1934, to William H. and Gladys (Carver) Tolbert at Shady Point, Okla. She attended the Panama, Okla., Schools until the family moved to California, where she graduated high school at Dos Palos, California, in 1953. After moving back to Oklahoma in 1954, Leota began her 34-year career with Phillips Petroleum Company in various accounting related positions. Most of her career with Phillips was spent in Bartlesville, but she had one work assignment which required her relocation to Denver, Colo., for several years. After early retirement, Leota engaged in several self-employment ventures which she enjoyed very much, until cut short by health issues. Leota lived a very active life in several areas, especially her many flights back to California to visit her life-long best friend Ruth Slimp, who she met in 1949 and are still best friends today. Only Leota’s health issues have hindered their continued communications. Leota never married and had no children of her own, but she always loved and enjoyed the children of her three brothers and their offspring so much that she frequently stated that “she hadn’t missed a thing” by not having children of her own. And it kept her busy just buying birthday and Christmas gifts for them when they (and she) were young. But with her full, active life in many areas, everyone who knew her were very much aware that the most important thing in her life was her relationship with her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to her daily, personal devoted life to Jesus, she has served many church ministries through the years. These include Sunday School teacher, youth leader, youth Bible Quiz leader (installed the program), missions coordinator, nursing home ministry, music ministry including choir, duets, trios, playing accordion, piano, visitation ministry, and served several years on staff as church secretary. Leota was one of the 11 founding members of Word of Truth Fellowship in 2001 and was involved in several ministries of the church, assisting Pastor Jim Anderson until health issues limited her participation. Leota was preceded in death by her parents, William and Gladys Tolbert; brothers, Donald Lee Tolbert, and Billy Gene Tolbert. She is survived by her brother, Noel Tolbert and wife Ethel of Bartlesville; 8 nieces and nephews, Lance Tolbert, Larry Tolbert, Gary Tolbert, Ronnie Tolbert, Steve Tolbert, Jeff Tolbert, Tana Tolbert and Onita Johnson; a special friend, Ruth Slimp of Spicewood, Texas; and a host of extended family and friends. Visitation will be held Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 10-8, at Davis Family Funeral Home – Walker Brown Chapel, 4201 Nowata Road, Bartlesville, OK 74006, 918-333-7665. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, November 17, 2023, at Word of Truth Fellowship in Bartlesville with Pastor Jim Anderson officiating. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and Davis Family Funeral Home – Walker Brown Chapel. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com.

Leota Lafern Tolbert

July 1, 1934 - November 11, 2023