Obituary for Myrtle Waugh

Myrtle Delores Waugh, resident of Ponca City, passed Saturday, August 8, 2015 at her home. She was 95 years of age.

Myrtle was born June 12, 1920 in Maple Ridge Township, Minnesota, the daughter of Peter August Peterson and Alice Elizabeth (Stonestrom) Peterson. She received her early education in the Minnesota schools.

She was married to Gerald Loyd Waugh on August 20, 1938 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The couple made their first home in Minneapolis before moving to Alameda, California. The couple was very active in church and community while in California. Myrtle started the Alameda Girl’s Club along with six other mothers during the war. She was a member of the Alameda Community Chorus and was one of the first members of the Bell Choir in California. She gave free voice concerts in Alameda to help pay for choir robes. She was also choir director for the Santa Clara Methodist Church and was the only choir director in Alameda to ever receive a Chaplain’s Plaque from the U.S. Navy.

The couple moved to Ponca City in 1989 where they continued to be very active. Myrtle was a member of the Ponca City Music Club, St. Paul’s United Methodist Choir where the couple were longtime members and she was also the United Methodist Women’s historian. Her enjoyments were her grandchildren, cross stitching, crocheting, needlework and singing.

She is survived by three of her children, Grace Carol Brown and husband Norman T., of Ponca City, Dale Waugh of Ponca City and Alyce Ann Goncalves of Orville, California; 15 grandchildren and spouses; numerous great and great great grandchildren and one great great great grandson, making six generations before her passing. Several other extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, John Gerald Waugh; her siblings, Inez Backus, Dale Peterson, Rose Swanson, Doris Swanson, Bud Peterson and Isabelle Peterson; daughter-in-law, Betty Waugh and son-in-law, Ralph Goncalves.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church with Pastor Doyle Sharp presiding. Interment will follow in the Ponca City I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Casket bearers are Lowry Blakeburn, Bob Ford, Paul Stewart, Bill Thomason, Seldon Ballard and Stuart Powell.

Memorial contributions may be in made Mrs. Waugh’s name to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 445 Fairview, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601.