Corene Chassie Erbin

Corene C. Bacon Erbin went to meet her Heavenly Father, surrounded by friends and family, Friday evening, February 20, 2009. Corene was born January 24, 1925, in Purcell, Oklahoma to Robert L. & Willie Burrous Bacon. She graduated from Harrah High School and married John August Erbin, Jr., May 24, 1944. The couple raised one son, Donald Wayne, born November 16, 1946, plus several foster children from Baptist Boys Ranch, Edmond and from juvenile court, Oklahoma City. Most stayed with the Erbin family for only a few months'' time. Some stayed only long enough to finish school. Don married Karen Stewart in 1971 and raised two sons, Brian 1979 and Jason 1976 who were both very special to Corene. Brian married Janean Leatherberry in 2006 and they are raising James Michael Erbin 2007 who is actually the 'ringleader' of the entire family. Jason and Virginia; Brian, Janean and James; Don and Karen; and Corene all have homes on the same 160 acres at the corner of 10th and Luther Rd. which has been in the family since Bonnie Baxter and John Erbin, Sr., purchased the land in 1950. John and Corene built a home on this property in 1958. They enjoyed watching their grandsons and families grow plus discussing memories with family and friends. Corene held a soft spot in her heart for the youth of Harrah. Some of the happiest memories are of her working with the youth of Harrah First Baptist Church. She was a leader in the youth department for years. Corene was a home room mother for twelve years while Don was in school in Harrah. She could always be relied upon to bake chocolate chip cookies or a recipe of Grandma Bacon''s tacos for fund raisers and ball games. Corene was a homemaker, mother, farmer''s wife, and worked some temporary jobs at Drew''s Hardware and Seikel''s Department Store in Harrah plus several other jobs during her early years. In the 1940''s John and Corene began working for Harvey and Alice James, Choctaw, in the State Fair Concession business. Upon Harvey''s death, they later bought the business from Alice and continued the tradition until 1996. Corene spoke of working in the Semi centennial in 1957, which lasted thirty days and ran through all kinds of weather, even snow. Corene is survived by her son, Don and his wife, Karen, her grandsons and families, Brian, Janean and James; plus Jason and Virginia; all of Harrah. She also leaves one sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Oren Northcutt of Cookson, Oklahoma; and one brother and sister-in-law, Mel and Kathy Bacon of Huntington Beach, California. She leaves a host of nieces, nephews plus extended family and friends too numerous to list but oh-so-close to her heart. She is preceded in death by her husband, John Erbin, Jr., her parents, Willie and Robert Bacon, two brothers, Bill and Melvin Bacon, and a sister-in-law, Dorothy and her husband, Bill Sparkman of Harrah. Services will be held 2:00 PM day, February 24, 2009 at the First Baptist Church, Harrah, OK with Rev. Gary Eubanks and Dr. Tony Nickel officiating. Interment will follow at Memory Lane Cemetery, Harrah, OK. Services are under the direction of Smith~Parks Funeral Service in Harrah, OK.