Mae Belle (Brantley) Werneke

Mae Belle Brantley was born July 23, 1920, to James Thomas and Bessie Brantley in Maysville, OK. She grew up in Purcell, OK, where her father worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. When Mae was 11 years old, her mother died. A cherished aunt and uncle, Albert and Belle Brantley, and cousin, Alice Brantley, moved to Purcell to help Tom care for his family, which also included son Thomas, and daughters Stella, Florene, Helen, and Bette. Mae often remembered that, whatever the family may have lacked during these Depression years, they always had plenty of love. Prior to her senior year in high school, her father was transferred to Arkansas City, KS, where she met Leo A. Werneke. The couple were married October 1, 1939, and took up residence in Oklahoma City, where they established Duplicraft Company, a small printing and graphic arts business. Mae helped her country during World War II building C-47 transport planes at the Douglas plant in Midwest City. She and Leo raised two children, Leo G. and Jennifer. They continued their business and their happy marriage for 54 years, until Leo's death in 1994. Mae had a keen interest in history, winning the University of Oklahoma high school history competition her junior year. In adulthood, this interest came to focus on the historical foundations of the Bible. She taught adult Sunday school well into her nineties, first at Second Methodist Church and then at Linwood United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. She also led numerous Bible study classes at the senior living centers where she resided in later years. Both Leo and Mae valued education highly and inspired their children to pursue careers in that field. Mae died September 11, 2018, at age 98, and was buried with her beloved husband at Hillside Cemetery in Purcell. She is survived by her children Leo G. (Nancy) Werneke and Jennifer (Steve) Watson; grandson Ronald L. Werneke (Vicki) and granddaughter Michelann Werneke Ooten (David); step granddaughter Sarah Watson; great grandchildren Keith (Gayle), Michael (Molly), and Tia Ooten; Sara and Peter Werneke; and great, great grandchildren Jayshawn, Leah, Henry, Nicole, Benjamin, and Mazie (expected in February). Mae also is survived by sisters Stella Eargle, Columbia, SC; Florene Blevins, Brenham, TX; extended families from both the Brantley and Werneke lines; and a host of caring friends. A celebration of Mae's life will be held at Linwood United Methodist Church, 3034 N. W. 17th Street, Oklahoma City, OK, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, November 11, 2018. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Free to Live Animal Sanctuary, Edmond, OK http://freetoliveok.org/ ; Habitat for Humanity https://www.habitat.org ; the Salvation Army https://give.salvationarmyusa.org ; or the charity of your choice.