Obituary of Novelle Townsend

Alice Novelle Townsend, age 93 passed away Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at Plano, TX. She was born on April 7, 1923 in Golden, OK, the son of Amos Taylor and Belle Allen Taylor. She was preceded in death by her parents; step-mother, "Mama" Madie Peters; step-father, "Paw" Peters; and a brother, Buddy Taylor and special cousin Virginia, “Sis” Setzer. Novelle leaves to cherish her memory her sons and daughters-in-laws, Johnny and Carolyn Townsend of Valliant, OK and their children, Jay, Toby and Sissy; Jimmy and Marlene Townsend of Valliant, OK and their children, Jenny, Josh and Blake; Joe Townsend of Broken Arrow, OK; a daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Pat Payne of Valliant, OK and their children Patrick and Blake. She was also the proud great-grandmother of 8 grandchildren with number 9 on the way and a host of; numerous special nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends. Novelle, as she was known, was a life-long resident of McCurtain County having been born in Golden Oklahoma. She did however leave the county in the 1930’s to pick apples in Washington state, participating in one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s many programs to assist the country during the Great Depression. She loved the people and beauty of Washington and often spoke fondly of her experiences out west. She also worked hard picking and chopping cotton where she earned $one dollar a day. Later Novelle served her country during World War II as one of the original “Rosie the Riveters” helping to build B-17s for the war effort, at a defense plant in Oklahoma City. After the war she returned home and spent the rest of her life near Valliant as a home maker which she excelled in. She always made sure her 4 children were well taken care of and at the same time helping to run a 200 head cattle ranch, never shrinking from the hard work that comes with earning your living from the land. She loved to garden, either flowers or vegetables and was known for her ability to grow just about anything. People who knew her well would often say, “if Novelle planted rocks, she would produce a bumper crop.” Growing up during the Great Depression she learned quickly how to live simply and close to the land and not depending on many of our modern conveniences. It was one of Novelle’s great joys sharing the talents, learned growing up during the depression. Many young people owe their knowledge of canning, sewing, quilting, gardening, cooking, how to best cook deer meat, scale a fish, bait a hook properly and even how to cut up a chicken so you could enjoy the “pully bone”, to Novelle. She was also known for her great hospitality also asking any guest who came to her home, “honey are you hungry”? and no matter how you answered she would proceed to feed you. Another of Novelle’s passions, was reading and keeping up with what was happening in the world. She believed you needed to know what was happening not just in your neck of the woods but around the world and was happy to discuss events happening next door or a world away. As a life-long Democrat, she always voted and she would often say her one regret in voting was in 1952 when she voted for Ike, remember how the price of cattle hit rock bottom while he was president. She always loved a good discussion revolving around politics, both locally and nationally. Novelle also was greatly devoted to the work carried out for children at Saint Jude Hospital in Memphis Tennessee although she did support this work privately without others knowing. Only recently did her children learn when a letter was found where she had been honored by Saint Jude by being a longtime supporter of the hospital. She read her Bible daily, especially her favorite the 23rd Psalm, and a firm believer in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was proud that all 4 of her children were followers of Jesus with two becoming ministers of the Gospel in the Assembly of God and Roman Catholic faiths. She began life when horse and wagon were the norm and although vowing to never fly in a plane, on the last evening of her life, was flown by medical airplane to a Texas hospital. She was unconscious during the flight, which was fitting as she often said, “the only way you will ever get me on a plane is to knock me out”. This last flight, on the wings of man, was just a prelude for the flight to heaven, on the wings of angels, having served the Lord well on earth as His servant and now hearing the Words of Jesus, “well done good and faithful servant, now enter into the Kingdom of Heaven”. May she rest in Peace.