Ona Louella Brownlee

Ona Louella Brownlee, precious lady of grace, gently passed June 15 in the year of our Lord 2018 at Brookdale Assisted Living, Prescott, Arizona.Louella was born in Sayre, Oklahoma on March 15, 1930, to Carlton Hiram and Linna Maude Blackmon (Johnson). She was the oldest of seven children. She married her high school sweetheart, Dale Brownlee. Together they dated in an old pickup without brakes and without a floorboard! They graduated in 1948 and married on August 15, 1948. They took care of Merle and Argy Belle’s farm the first 3 years. Dale’s dad gave them six cows and some chickens too! The first year they got washed out. The second year, no rain – and the wind blew and burned their cotton crop off at the ground. The third year their first daughter was born, and the hospital bill took all their crop money.  Donald and Mildred Armstrong (high school friends) invited them to look for work where they were, at the Bagdad Copper Mine. The first time they drove through Skull Valley, Arizona, they dreamed of having a little piece of land to garden with a home there. She loved caring for her family with dinner always served together at the table. When Dale was on swing shift, she ran for the girls at their lunchtime – always adjusting the big family dinner for a time of thankful sharing. She was complimented as “the best place to go for Sunday Dinner by Pastors.” The girls’ friends admired the skirts and dresses she made for them too! When the girls were leaving the nest, she went to work and was secretary to the Special Ed Department at Bagdad Elementary.  Retirement found Louella and Dale building their dream home on their Skull Valley Acres. Grandchildren found gardening, canning and cows with a couple of little dogs – all were delighted to be here and given special treat bags to journey home. Survivors are 2 Daughters – Loretta Gaye Bazzill of Skull Valley, Arizona and Melinda Sue Hirte of Porterville, California; 4 Grandchildren – Ryan, Jenny, Stephen and Stacy; 9 Great Grandchildren, and 4 Great-Great Grandchildren.