Arla Jeanne (Askew) Crissup was born on August 21, 1934, in a red house on Robinson Street in Conway, Arkansas, to Kent and Anne (Llewelling) Askew. She went to her heavenly home on Saturday, September 24, 2016.
She is survived by her three children, Jeannette (Lee) Redman of Goltry, and Joyce (Merrill) Thomas of Edmond, son, Jeff (Debbie) of Helena. grandchildren, Nathan (Kristina) Redman, Andrew (Becky) Redman, Caleb Redman, all of Edmond, Bethany (Alec) Ramirez, of Enid, Reuben (Tana) Thomas, Edmond, Leslie (Micah) Smith, Lenexa, Kansas, Mary Alice (Cassidy) Cheray, Wichita, Kansas; Jesse (Janell) Crissup, Alva, Zachary (Stephanie) Crissup, Fairmont, West Virginia, Cali Crissup, Stillwater; great-grandchildren, William and Wesley Redman, Isaac, Eli and Nehemiah Redman, Brody, Siya and Saige Thomas, all of Edmond, Harper Smith, Lenexa, Kansas; Remington Cheray, Wichita, Kansas, Tierney Crissup, Alva, Patch Hernandez (Crissup), Fairmont, West Virginia; sisters, Lou Dennard, Yukon, Kay (Ervin) Norton, Helena.
She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-four years, C. A. Crissup; infant daughter; parents, Kent and Anne Askew; brother, Llewellyn Askew.
Jeanne attended Robert E. Lee Grade School in Raymondville, Texas, Helena and Cherokee Grade Schools, graduated eighth grade in Cherokee and graduated from Helena High School in 1952.
On November 16, 1951, C.A. and Jeanne eloped and were married in the Wesleyan Methodist parsonage in Enid. C.A. and Jeanne lived in Helena all except five months while C.A. was employed in the oil field in New Mexico and West Texas.
As a young teenager, Jeanne began working at the Helena Telephone Office. Her next position was Head Bookkeeper for Gold Spot Dairy in Enid, where she was employed for a number of years at a job she dearly loved. After that tenure she became Bookkeeper/Dispatcher/Business Manager for Crissup Trucking for the remainder of C.A.'s trucking career. During that time she also was part-time bookkeeper for Cattle Auctions in Cherokee, Carmen and Enid. She purchased a clothing store in Stillwater in 1973 and sold that store in 1975, returning to work in Helena as Parts Specialist at Dettle Implement. She then was approached to become the Tag Agent at the Helena Tag Agency, continuing harvest employment at Dettle Implement for many years. During her employment, she gained many lifelong friends with whom she remained in contact until the end of her life.
She was a Member of the Helena Church of the Nazarene, serving on multiple committees and the Church Board, where in 2013 she was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the International Headquarters of the Church of the Nazarene. She served on the Good Hope Cemetery Board, also acting as cemetery secretary and records officer, and served in various capacities for several local boards.
Her family lovingly referred to her as the Energizer Bunny because she had endless energy and "never ran down". She rarely missed a sporting event, school or church activity for herself, her children or grandchildren. She loved being surrounded by her family, as long as someone else did the cooking. C.A. was her best friend for all of her life, and her light never would shine as bright after his passing. On her last day on this earth, with difficulty expressing herself, she repeatedly stated how much she loved each and every member of her family, and that she thought of all of them "all the time". Her last conversation involved asking "who was in Heaven", and recalling knowledge of those family members who had gone on before her, and when asked if she would like to see angels, she said, "I sure would."
She will be remembered as a faithful wife, Mom, Gramma Jeanne to all of her family, demonstrating an unwavering love for each of them and for her Lord.
Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at the Helena Church of the Nazarene, Helena with Rev. Dean Holt officiating. Burial will be in Good Hope Cemetery between her late husband, and infant daughter with arrangements by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc of Helena. Viewing will be Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. with the family present from 5:00 until 7:00 at the funeral home.