Daughter of Eugene Franklin 'Chubb' and Pearlie Mae (Bridgeman) Heller.
Wife of;
1) Mel Autry
2) Sidney 'Sid' Mc Cullough, whom she married on 13 Jul 1950 at Benton County, Arkansas
3) James Adair 'Jim' Black, whom she married in 1957.
4) Larry Little, whom she married in 1998
Mother of Melody Jean Autry, Sidney Sue 'Margo' McCullough-Black, James Adair 'Jett' Black Jr., and Kellee Heller Black.
∼Twila Jean (Heller) Black Little passed away peacefully on Sun., Apr. 27, 2008.
Twila was born in Vinita, OK on Aug. 31, 1930, where she graduated from Vinita High School with perfect attendance. As a young horsewoman she rode rodeo in the saddle club, Tenderfoot Riders, with her sister, Sue Willa. For a short time, she was married to Mel Autry, nephew of singing cowboy Gene Autry, and later she married Sidney "Sid" McCollough of Pryor. After divorcing and traveling for several years she settled in Tulsa with her husband, James "Jim" Black, Tulsa University graduate, and their three children. She hosted many Christmas parties, washed many diapers, sewed many dance costumes and drove many trips across town in a car-full of wiggley kids....long before seatbelts arrived!
In 1965, she and her family moved to join her sister and mother in the San Francisco Bay Area and lived in San Leandro, CA for 31 years. She was trained as a dental assistant by her mother, Pearl (Bridgeman) Heller Forstelle in San Francisco. She managed the San Leandro dental office of Dr. Russo till she retired in 1988. Dr. Russo provided dental care to the Oakland Raiders football team and the Oakland Athletics baseball team, which made it a lot of fun for her and the whole family. It was, without a doubt, the friendliest dental office on-the-planet and made dental visits a lot more bearable. She unofficially adopted a wonderful family of Finnish immigrants, had many Finnish friends and visited Finnland in 1989. She was an active member of Broadmoor Congregational Church and enjoyed many backyard parties and parades with church friends and neighbors.
Shortly after becoming a grandmother, she was widowed by her husband, Jim, of 34 years and she eventually relocated to Claremore, OK. In 1998, she married former Marine, Larry Little. For several years, she took-in and cared for her aging mother (now deceased) and she was a vital presence in the lives of her grandchildren and children, including Kellee Heller (Black) Brown (now deceased). A fifth generation Oklahoman, she reconnected with many friends and relatives, attended class reunions in Vinita and had many family get-togethers in her lovely home, where she enjoyed decorating and creating a warm atmosphere. She loved to entertain and could light up a room like nobody else could.
She will be greatly missed by friends and family members, and will always be remembered for her sense of acceptance, compassion, vitality, style and fun. She was young-at-heart, had an unforgettable personality and liked to quote the main character in the musical "Auntie Mame", who said, "Life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving". She lived life to the fullest and we are blessed to have been a part of it. We are grateful to everyone, everywhere who loved her and made her life so joyful.
She died in Inola Residential Care from the affects of cancer and was given much loving attention by her husband of 10 years, Larry Little, her mother-in-law, Betty Little, and her step-family, Raymond and Le Ann Sandecki and children, all of Claremore.
She is also survived by her son James "Jett" Black, Jr. of Portland, OR; by her daughter Sidney "Sid" (McCollough Black) Hildum of San Francisco, CA; and her three grandchildren, Erynn and Jimmy Brown of Claremore and Nathan Hildum of San Francisco. Also surviving are nephew, Joel Sims of Benecia, CA; cousins Carl Heller of Alameda, CA and J.D. Lightwine of Springdale, AR; in addition to the Bridgeman family of Vinita and the Black family of Tulsa.
Please join us to celebrate her life at a Memorial Service at Musgrove-Merriott-Smith, 102 W. 5th St., Claremore, on Sat. May 24th at 2:00pm, followed by an Open House Reception at the residence. [There will be a Memorial and Reception in San Leandro, at a later date.]
Wife of;
1) Mel Autry
2) Sidney 'Sid' Mc Cullough, whom she married on 13 Jul 1950 at Benton County, Arkansas
3) James Adair 'Jim' Black, whom she married in 1957.
4) Larry Little, whom she married in 1998
Mother of Melody Jean Autry, Sidney Sue 'Margo' McCullough-Black, James Adair 'Jett' Black Jr., and Kellee Heller Black.
∼Twila Jean (Heller) Black Little passed away peacefully on Sun., Apr. 27, 2008.
Twila was born in Vinita, OK on Aug. 31, 1930, where she graduated from Vinita High School with perfect attendance. As a young horsewoman she rode rodeo in the saddle club, Tenderfoot Riders, with her sister, Sue Willa. For a short time, she was married to Mel Autry, nephew of singing cowboy Gene Autry, and later she married Sidney "Sid" McCollough of Pryor. After divorcing and traveling for several years she settled in Tulsa with her husband, James "Jim" Black, Tulsa University graduate, and their three children. She hosted many Christmas parties, washed many diapers, sewed many dance costumes and drove many trips across town in a car-full of wiggley kids....long before seatbelts arrived!
In 1965, she and her family moved to join her sister and mother in the San Francisco Bay Area and lived in San Leandro, CA for 31 years. She was trained as a dental assistant by her mother, Pearl (Bridgeman) Heller Forstelle in San Francisco. She managed the San Leandro dental office of Dr. Russo till she retired in 1988. Dr. Russo provided dental care to the Oakland Raiders football team and the Oakland Athletics baseball team, which made it a lot of fun for her and the whole family. It was, without a doubt, the friendliest dental office on-the-planet and made dental visits a lot more bearable. She unofficially adopted a wonderful family of Finnish immigrants, had many Finnish friends and visited Finnland in 1989. She was an active member of Broadmoor Congregational Church and enjoyed many backyard parties and parades with church friends and neighbors.
Shortly after becoming a grandmother, she was widowed by her husband, Jim, of 34 years and she eventually relocated to Claremore, OK. In 1998, she married former Marine, Larry Little. For several years, she took-in and cared for her aging mother (now deceased) and she was a vital presence in the lives of her grandchildren and children, including Kellee Heller (Black) Brown (now deceased). A fifth generation Oklahoman, she reconnected with many friends and relatives, attended class reunions in Vinita and had many family get-togethers in her lovely home, where she enjoyed decorating and creating a warm atmosphere. She loved to entertain and could light up a room like nobody else could.
She will be greatly missed by friends and family members, and will always be remembered for her sense of acceptance, compassion, vitality, style and fun. She was young-at-heart, had an unforgettable personality and liked to quote the main character in the musical "Auntie Mame", who said, "Life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving". She lived life to the fullest and we are blessed to have been a part of it. We are grateful to everyone, everywhere who loved her and made her life so joyful.
She died in Inola Residential Care from the affects of cancer and was given much loving attention by her husband of 10 years, Larry Little, her mother-in-law, Betty Little, and her step-family, Raymond and Le Ann Sandecki and children, all of Claremore.
She is also survived by her son James "Jett" Black, Jr. of Portland, OR; by her daughter Sidney "Sid" (McCollough Black) Hildum of San Francisco, CA; and her three grandchildren, Erynn and Jimmy Brown of Claremore and Nathan Hildum of San Francisco. Also surviving are nephew, Joel Sims of Benecia, CA; cousins Carl Heller of Alameda, CA and J.D. Lightwine of Springdale, AR; in addition to the Bridgeman family of Vinita and the Black family of Tulsa.
Please join us to celebrate her life at a Memorial Service at Musgrove-Merriott-Smith, 102 W. 5th St., Claremore, on Sat. May 24th at 2:00pm, followed by an Open House Reception at the residence. [There will be a Memorial and Reception in San Leandro, at a later date.]
Daughter of Eugene Franklin 'Chubb' and Pearlie Mae (Bridgeman) Heller.
Wife of;
1) Mel Autry
2) Sidney 'Sid' Mc Cullough, whom she married on 13 Jul 1950 at Benton County, Arkansas
3) James Adair 'Jim' Black, whom she married in 1957.
4) Larry Little, whom she married in 1998
Mother of Melody Jean Autry, Sidney Sue 'Margo' McCullough-Black, James Adair 'Jett' Black Jr., and Kellee Heller Black.
∼Twila Jean (Heller) Black Little passed away peacefully on Sun., Apr. 27, 2008.
Twila was born in Vinita, OK on Aug. 31, 1930, where she graduated from Vinita High School with perfect attendance. As a young horsewoman she rode rodeo in the saddle club, Tenderfoot Riders, with her sister, Sue Willa. For a short time, she was married to Mel Autry, nephew of singing cowboy Gene Autry, and later she married Sidney "Sid" McCollough of Pryor. After divorcing and traveling for several years she settled in Tulsa with her husband, James "Jim" Black, Tulsa University graduate, and their three children. She hosted many Christmas parties, washed many diapers, sewed many dance costumes and drove many trips across town in a car-full of wiggley kids....long before seatbelts arrived!
In 1965, she and her family moved to join her sister and mother in the San Francisco Bay Area and lived in San Leandro, CA for 31 years. She was trained as a dental assistant by her mother, Pearl (Bridgeman) Heller Forstelle in San Francisco. She managed the San Leandro dental office of Dr. Russo till she retired in 1988. Dr. Russo provided dental care to the Oakland Raiders football team and the Oakland Athletics baseball team, which made it a lot of fun for her and the whole family. It was, without a doubt, the friendliest dental office on-the-planet and made dental visits a lot more bearable. She unofficially adopted a wonderful family of Finnish immigrants, had many Finnish friends and visited Finnland in 1989. She was an active member of Broadmoor Congregational Church and enjoyed many backyard parties and parades with church friends and neighbors.
Shortly after becoming a grandmother, she was widowed by her husband, Jim, of 34 years and she eventually relocated to Claremore, OK. In 1998, she married former Marine, Larry Little. For several years, she took-in and cared for her aging mother (now deceased) and she was a vital presence in the lives of her grandchildren and children, including Kellee Heller (Black) Brown (now deceased). A fifth generation Oklahoman, she reconnected with many friends and relatives, attended class reunions in Vinita and had many family get-togethers in her lovely home, where she enjoyed decorating and creating a warm atmosphere. She loved to entertain and could light up a room like nobody else could.
She will be greatly missed by friends and family members, and will always be remembered for her sense of acceptance, compassion, vitality, style and fun. She was young-at-heart, had an unforgettable personality and liked to quote the main character in the musical "Auntie Mame", who said, "Life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving". She lived life to the fullest and we are blessed to have been a part of it. We are grateful to everyone, everywhere who loved her and made her life so joyful.
She died in Inola Residential Care from the affects of cancer and was given much loving attention by her husband of 10 years, Larry Little, her mother-in-law, Betty Little, and her step-family, Raymond and Le Ann Sandecki and children, all of Claremore.
She is also survived by her son James "Jett" Black, Jr. of Portland, OR; by her daughter Sidney "Sid" (McCollough Black) Hildum of San Francisco, CA; and her three grandchildren, Erynn and Jimmy Brown of Claremore and Nathan Hildum of San Francisco. Also surviving are nephew, Joel Sims of Benecia, CA; cousins Carl Heller of Alameda, CA and J.D. Lightwine of Springdale, AR; in addition to the Bridgeman family of Vinita and the Black family of Tulsa.
Please join us to celebrate her life at a Memorial Service at Musgrove-Merriott-Smith, 102 W. 5th St., Claremore, on Sat. May 24th at 2:00pm, followed by an Open House Reception at the residence. [There will be a Memorial and Reception in San Leandro, at a later date.]
Wife of;
1) Mel Autry
2) Sidney 'Sid' Mc Cullough, whom she married on 13 Jul 1950 at Benton County, Arkansas
3) James Adair 'Jim' Black, whom she married in 1957.
4) Larry Little, whom she married in 1998
Mother of Melody Jean Autry, Sidney Sue 'Margo' McCullough-Black, James Adair 'Jett' Black Jr., and Kellee Heller Black.
∼Twila Jean (Heller) Black Little passed away peacefully on Sun., Apr. 27, 2008.
Twila was born in Vinita, OK on Aug. 31, 1930, where she graduated from Vinita High School with perfect attendance. As a young horsewoman she rode rodeo in the saddle club, Tenderfoot Riders, with her sister, Sue Willa. For a short time, she was married to Mel Autry, nephew of singing cowboy Gene Autry, and later she married Sidney "Sid" McCollough of Pryor. After divorcing and traveling for several years she settled in Tulsa with her husband, James "Jim" Black, Tulsa University graduate, and their three children. She hosted many Christmas parties, washed many diapers, sewed many dance costumes and drove many trips across town in a car-full of wiggley kids....long before seatbelts arrived!
In 1965, she and her family moved to join her sister and mother in the San Francisco Bay Area and lived in San Leandro, CA for 31 years. She was trained as a dental assistant by her mother, Pearl (Bridgeman) Heller Forstelle in San Francisco. She managed the San Leandro dental office of Dr. Russo till she retired in 1988. Dr. Russo provided dental care to the Oakland Raiders football team and the Oakland Athletics baseball team, which made it a lot of fun for her and the whole family. It was, without a doubt, the friendliest dental office on-the-planet and made dental visits a lot more bearable. She unofficially adopted a wonderful family of Finnish immigrants, had many Finnish friends and visited Finnland in 1989. She was an active member of Broadmoor Congregational Church and enjoyed many backyard parties and parades with church friends and neighbors.
Shortly after becoming a grandmother, she was widowed by her husband, Jim, of 34 years and she eventually relocated to Claremore, OK. In 1998, she married former Marine, Larry Little. For several years, she took-in and cared for her aging mother (now deceased) and she was a vital presence in the lives of her grandchildren and children, including Kellee Heller (Black) Brown (now deceased). A fifth generation Oklahoman, she reconnected with many friends and relatives, attended class reunions in Vinita and had many family get-togethers in her lovely home, where she enjoyed decorating and creating a warm atmosphere. She loved to entertain and could light up a room like nobody else could.
She will be greatly missed by friends and family members, and will always be remembered for her sense of acceptance, compassion, vitality, style and fun. She was young-at-heart, had an unforgettable personality and liked to quote the main character in the musical "Auntie Mame", who said, "Life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving". She lived life to the fullest and we are blessed to have been a part of it. We are grateful to everyone, everywhere who loved her and made her life so joyful.
She died in Inola Residential Care from the affects of cancer and was given much loving attention by her husband of 10 years, Larry Little, her mother-in-law, Betty Little, and her step-family, Raymond and Le Ann Sandecki and children, all of Claremore.
She is also survived by her son James "Jett" Black, Jr. of Portland, OR; by her daughter Sidney "Sid" (McCollough Black) Hildum of San Francisco, CA; and her three grandchildren, Erynn and Jimmy Brown of Claremore and Nathan Hildum of San Francisco. Also surviving are nephew, Joel Sims of Benecia, CA; cousins Carl Heller of Alameda, CA and J.D. Lightwine of Springdale, AR; in addition to the Bridgeman family of Vinita and the Black family of Tulsa.
Please join us to celebrate her life at a Memorial Service at Musgrove-Merriott-Smith, 102 W. 5th St., Claremore, on Sat. May 24th at 2:00pm, followed by an Open House Reception at the residence. [There will be a Memorial and Reception in San Leandro, at a later date.]
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Black-Little or Heller memorials in:
- Fairview Cemetery Black-Little or Heller
- Vinita Black-Little or Heller
- Craig County Black-Little or Heller
- Oklahoma Black-Little or Heller
- USA Black-Little or Heller
- Find a Grave Black-Little or Heller
Advertisement
