Nelda Joy White Tebow

Nelda Joy White Tebow, 86, beloved wife, mother and "Nana" passed away November 17. A celebration service will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 21st at the Smith & Kernke Funeral Home, 14624 N. May Ave., in Oklahoma City. Nelda was born February 13, 1931, in Vici, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Verna White, siblings, Verla, Lois, Cecil, Lindel, Urilda, and Harlan, and her loving husband of 61 years, Marvin. She graduated from Vici High School in 1948, where she was president of her senior class. As a freshman at Oklahoma State University, Nelda met her future husband, Marvin Tebow. They married and moved to Enid where Nelda worked for the Department of Agriculture for four years. They moved to Oklahoma City, had two daughters and she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education at Central State University and a Master's Degree at Oklahoma City University. Her lengthy career as an educator was with the Oklahoma City Public Schools where she was a classroom teacher, an instructional television teacher, an elementary consultant, and the Curriculum Coordinator of Elementary, Middle Schools, and High Schools. Next, she enjoyed her role as a consultant for a publishing company, traveling across the United States doing workshops and seminars in the area of education. Through the years, Nelda served her professional and social organizations in countless leadership roles. She was state president of OASCD, ACE, State Elementary Mathematics Organization, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She also served as president of The MacDowell Club of Oklahoma City. Believing that education was the key to opportunity, Nelda and Marvin encouraged and financially supported all of their children and grandchildren in their college careers. Some of her proudest moments were the graduation ceremonies of the family. Always a fearless traveler, Nelda and Marvin enjoyed taking their entire family on trips all over the world, creating cherished memories of time together. She was a dynamic inspiration to everyone who knew her. The family will carry on her faith in God and her solid belief in the ability to achieve our dreams. The family will greatly miss her kindness, generosity, and undying love. Nelda's survivors include her daughter, Sharon Tebow Strickland, of Oklahoma City; her three sons: Dax Strickland and wife, Carrie, and their sons, Luke, Colin, and Jack, of Oklahoma City; Sean Strickland and wife, Leah, and their sons, Knox and Rowe, of Oklahoma City; Cole Strickland and wife, Lindsay, and their sons, Everett and Corbin, and their daughter, Annie, of Oklahoma City, and her other daughter, Vicki Tebow Piper, and her husband, John Piper, of Houston Texas; their three daughters: Morgan Piper of Dallas, Texas, Teryn Piper of Houston, Texas, and Logan Piper of Houston, Texas. Nelda was the proud Nana of her 6 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Nelda is also survived by her brother, Raymond White, her brother and sister-in-law, Sherrill and Wanda White, her sister-in-law, Marilyn Tebow, and countless nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Church of the Firstborn Building Fund, 1501 N. Purdue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73147.