Obituary for Frena “Virginia” Walton Funeral service for Claremore area resident, Virginia Walton, will be held 11:00 am, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at MMS-Payne Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Charlie Lehman will officiate. Burial will follow in Oakhaven Memorial Gardens.
Frena Virginia Smith was born October 29, 1930, in Normantown, West Virginia, to Grover Cleveland Smith and Edna Eunice (Bealle) Smith. She grew up and received her education in Normantown. The home where she grew up had a water well, where some pipeline workers who were working in the area would come to get water.
She came to know one of these workers, John Thomas Walton, and they became friends. When the job ended, John asked her to come back to Oklahoma with him. At first she refused, but at the last minute, as he was getting on the bus, she joined him.
They married on May 23, 1948. The newlyweds made their home in Tulsa for a short time before moving to the Sequoyah community near Claremore. Virginia was a hard worker with many talents.
She could raise most any kind of plant, and canned the produce from her garden. In quiet moments, she loved to do ceramics, or crochet or quilt. She made a fifty states quilt featuring the state bird of each state.
This quilt won first place at the county fair. She also loved to fish, and she enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs. She even was able to attend one of their games.
But above all these pursuits, she cherished her family and her God. She was a faithful member of Washington Baptist Church, where she was the church clerk, directed and taught Bible School, worked at church camps, and sang in the choir. It didn’t matter where she found herself, whether at home or on vacation, she always found a church to attend on Sunday.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, John Walton, Sr., her sons, John Walton, Jr., Gary Walton, daughter, Connie Taha and husband Shawkat, son-in-law, Phillip Torkelson, grandchildren, Shawn Walton and Chris Boudreaux, brothers, Arnold Smith, Walker Smith, and Willard Smith, and sisters, Doris Cooper and Vernie Fisher. Those left to cherish her memory are her brother, Grover Smith and wife Alice, children, Barbara Torkelson, Glenna Williams, David Walton, and Debbie Morgan and husband Donnie, daughters-in-law, Kathy and Tita Walton, her grandchildren, Cindy, Rhonda, Shannon, Shelly, Bud, Tammy, Johnna, Scott, Donnie, Jr., Lindsey, Leslie, Jason, Zach, and Jalene. Also numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Frena “Virginia” Walton please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details Oakhaven Memorial Gardens 801 S. Normal Ave.
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