Longtime Braman area resident, Lela V. Ferneau of Midwest City went home to be with Jesus September 16, 2009, at the age of 101.

Lela V. Ferneau was born August 26, 1908, in Haskew, Oklahoma, just north of Woodward, to Christian Owen & Ora Etta (Burgett) Hamilton. When she was six years old she moved with her family to a farm southwest of Gage, Oklahoma, and attended school there. At the age of fourteen the family moved to a farm south of Hunnewell, Kansas, and she attended nearby South Haven High School in South Haven, Kansas, graduating in 1927. After graduation, she taught school at Star Rural School west of Hunnewell, for four years.

She married Lawrence E. Ferneau on September 11, 1929, in Newkirk, Oklahoma, and they lived and farmed west of Braman for 45 years where she served her family as homemaker. They moved into Braman in May of 1974. Lawrence & Lela celebrated 62 years of marriage before his death on February 19, 1992. Following his death she continued to live in Braman until September of 2002 when she moved to Midwest City to live with her daughter, Donna. On May 17, 2004, she moved to Manor Care Nursing Home in Midwest City and was a resident there at the time of her death.

She was a member of the Braman United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. She was a Charter member of Merry Mothers Club and also held membership in the Triumph Extension Homemakers and Braman Methodist Women Quilters.

Survivors include her three daughters, Donna Neumayer Adams of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Janice Wilson and husband Laile of Blackwell, Oklahoma, and Connie Westhof and husband Chris of Edmond, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Rhonda Neumayer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ron Neumayer and wife Diana of Pretty Prairie, Kansas, Renae Gensman and husband Brian of Council Grove, Kansas, Robert Neumayer and wife Cindy of Deer Creek, Oklahoma, Bruce Wilson and wife Deana of Enid, Oklahoma, Chaunna Spears and husband Gary of Ponca City, Oklahoma, Christian Westhof and wife Susan of Breckenridge, Colorado, Courtney Mathews of Edmond, Oklahoma; great grandchildren, Jerod and Brooke Neumayer of Pretty Prairie, Kansas, Nicole Hobbs & husband Dwayne of Council Grove, Kansas, Ricki Gensman of Council Grove, Kansas, Caroline Neumayer of Ponca City, Oklahoma, Brady and Danae Wilson of Enid, Oklahoma, and Kacie Platt of Ponca City, Oklahoma; and one great-great grandson, Kayden Hobbs of Council Grove, Kansas.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Dean Hamilton; and sisters, Hattie Cully and Bertha Miller.

Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 19th in the Braman United Methodist Church with the Rev. Robert Foos of Nardin Methodist Church officiating. Burial will follow in the Goodel Cemetery in Drury, Kansas.

Casketbearers will be grandsons, Ron Neumayer, Robert Neumayer, Bruce Wilson, Christian Westhof, and great grandsons, Jerod Neumayer and Brady Wilson.

Memorials may be made to the Braman United Methodist Church in c/o Roberts & Son Funeral Home, 120 W Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.