Olene Chew Roberts

Prague Centenarian Olene Roberts dies in Tampa, FL. Olene Chew Roberts, was born on a farm near Centerview, OK, on March 10, 1915, and departed this life on March 20, 2015. She was the fifth child born to Robert Hamilton Chew and Ida Roper Chew, but she was the first child of the family to be born in Oklahoma as the family had moved from Hot Springs, AR, to Oklahoma the previous year. A lifelong resident of Prague, she graduated from Prague High School in 1932. After graduation she attended East Central State in Ada, OK, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English. She married Clarence J. Roberts while completing her senior year in college, and became a homemaker. She worked at Tinker during WWII to support the war effort, and raised her family following the war. She attended Central State College to earn her Masters of Arts degree and taught English in Prague and Harrah, retiring in 1977. During her retirement, she volunteered at the Prague Hospital, served on the Prague Library board, was a member of P.E.O., and was a lifelong member of the Prague United Methodist Church. She is predeceased by her mother and father, and two brothers, Alton Chew and Halmer Chew, and three sisters, Evelyn Chew White, Eloise Chew Duncan, and Helen Chew Burrows. She is survived by daughter Mary Susan Roberts Lyon and son in-law Chuck Lyon of Vero Beach, FL, and Cleveland, OH, and daughter Kaylon Roberts Mishkel and son in-law Lloyd Mishkel, of Tampa, FL, and Jasper, AL. She also leaves behind one grandson, J. Schuyler Lyon of Ravenna, OH, and his wife Charlene, and four granddaughters, Hillary Lyon of Cleveland, OH, Rachael Mishkel of Tampa, FL, Meredith Mishkel of Chattanooga, TN, and Julie Mishkel of Tampa, FL. She also has eight nieces, Dorothy Ann Chew Fenwick of Vicksburg, MS, Virginia Chew Durden of Katy, TX, Linda Burrows Priest of Pawhuska, OK, Carole Duncan Churchill of Albuquerque, NM, Jane White Townsend of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, Elaine Duncan Appleby of Oklahoma City, OK, Barbara Burrows Coffman of Tahlequah, OK, and Jody White Roberts, of Las Vegas, NV. In addition, she is survived by four nephews, Robert White of Muskegon, MI, Phil Burrows of Tahlequah, OK, Al Chew of Casa Grande, AZ, and Van Chew of Konawa, OK. Olene was an avid reader and crossword puzzler. She enjoyed baking kolaches with the United Methodist Women for the annual Kolache Festival. Memorials may be made in Olene’s name to the Prague Haynie Library, Prague, OK, the Prague United Methodist Church, Prague, OK, or Melech Lifepath Hospice House, 11125 N. 52nd Street, Tampa, FL 33647. The Roberts’ family will receive friends at Parks Brothers Funeral Home on Friday, March 27, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. A celebration of Olene’s life will be held at the Parks Brothers Funeral Chapel in Prague, OK, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 officiated by Rev. Derrek Belase. Interment will follow at the Prague Cemetery. The family held a prayer vigil in Tampa, FL on March 14 at the Melech Lifepath Hospice House in Tampa, FL.