Lena Beatrice Grice Mackey passed away March 3, 2008 at Woodward Regional Hospital at the age of 97.
Lena was born August 25, 1910 at the family home near Bloomfield, Oklahoma to Claude and Jessie Grice, the second of nine children. She attended school at Bloomfield and Camargo, and two years in Brawley, California before graduating from Camargo High School. She attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University, from which she received her teaching degree.
Lena was united in marriage to L.D. Mackey on April 26, 1936. To this union one daughter, Barbara Ann, was born. The couple made their home in Camargo for many years, also living several years in Woodward, Oklahoma. Lena spent a total of 33 years teaching at Bloomfield, Camp Creek, Camargo, and Woodward before she and L.D. returned to Camargo to spend their retirement years. Lena was an active member of the Camargo First Christian Church, spending many years teaching Sunday school. She and L.D. spent many happy years together gardening, fishing at their farm pond, enjoying all of their friends, and caring for their two grandchildren during summer vacations. A week-long vacation with their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren every July in Estes Park, Colorado was a much-loved family tradition.
Lena was preceded in death by her husband, L.D.; her parents, Claude Grice and Jessie Pile Grice; by four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Bill, Lowell and Oletta, Glenn and Vera, and Harlan and Edith; and by four brothers-in-law, Sam Gafford, Russell Frost, George Hrstka, and Cletis Nemlowill.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Ken Smith of Woodward; by grandson, Craig Smith of Oklahoma City; by granddaughter, Jo Lynn Love and husband Chad and their two sons (Lena's two beloved great-grandchildren) Brayden and Barrett, all of Woodward; by sisters, Barbara Frost of Woodward, Bula Hrstka, Eula Cook and husband Glen all of Carson City, Nevada, and Betty Nemlowill of Concord, California; and several nieces and nephews.
Lena often said that she'd had a long happy life. May she rest in peace.