Lela Mae Hess of Blackwell, Oklahoma, went to heaven early Thursday morning, September 22, 2011, in the Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in Blackwell at the age of 82 years.

Lela Mae Hess was born on October 12, 1928, in Leonard, Oklahoma, to Herbert Harrison and Elsie Maude (Barnard) Turner. She married Jessie Kindle and to this union nine children were born. She later married Wayne Allen Hess in Newkirk, Oklahoma. Lela worked many jobs through her lifetime. She worked at Paul's Grill, as a housekeeper to working at the nursing home, which she truly loved, and finally becoming a homemaker.

Lela was proud to have been basketball queen in the ninth grade. Later in life, Lela enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She loved taking her children cane-pole fishing when they were young and working in people's yards and gardens. She also enjoyed riding with Wayne in the semi-truck. Her hobbies included cooking for the family, playing bingo, working jigsaw puzzles and word search books. She also enjoyed feeding the stray cats, the birds, and going to the kids ballgames during the summer. She has a fond affection for her fish, ducks, her three-legged cat, Snowball, and her beloved albino frog, Toby Jo.

She is survived by eight children, Linda Bowhay of Ponca City, Oklahoma, Jeanette Kindle of Glenpool, Oklahoma, Jackie Watson of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Wanda Schooling and husband Joe of Blackwell, Louise Clanton and husband Curtis of Blackwell, Ricky Kindle of Blackwell, Bunny Baugus of Blackwell, Faron Kindle and wife Ronda of Blackwell; a daughter-in-law, Angela Kindle Jenkins of Moore, Oklahoma; three siblings, Starlin Turner of Bixby, Oklahoma, Raymond Turner of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Howard Turner of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; fifteen grandchildren; twenty great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; and one great grandchild due in January.

She was preceded in death by her husband Wayne in 1991; her son, Lester Kindle in 2006; son-in-law, Lonnie Watson in 2006; step-son, Allen Hess; and siblings, Pauline Turner, Violet Turner, Paul Turner, Ivan Turner, Wallace "Wally" Turner, Murel Turner, Robert Turner, Nora "Irene" Tiger and Elizabeth "Willie" Pierce.

Services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 27th in the Roberts and Son Funeral Home Chapel in Blackwell with the Rev. Robert Foos of the First United Methodist Church in Jones, Oklahoma, officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery.

Casketbearers will be grandsons, Toby Baugus, Patrick Bowhay, Brock Kindle, Sean Ingram, Justin Kindle and great grandson, Ricky Schooling. Honorary casketbearers will be son-in-laws, Doran Baugus, Joe Schooling, Curtis Clanton, great grandsons, Wade Kennon, Maison and Kameron Ingram, and special friends, Reggie Blackwell and Phil Whetstone.

A memorial has been established in her honor to the family of Lela Hess in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.