Palestine High School Alumni Association

03 / 12 / 1922  –  05 / 03 / 2005

Longtime Palestine resident Ona Pearl Bedre completed her walk on God’s green earth Tuesday, May 3, 2005, at the Hospice Home Place Hospital in Tyler, Texas, and thus begins her journey with her Savior on the other side of that great divide.

Born Ona Pearl Oxford, March 12, 1922 in Coaldale, Scott County, Arkansas to Harry Earl Oxford and Mollie Jane (Stevens) Oxford, she was the 3rd of six children. Her family moved to the Palestine area when she was 15.

She was married to Ed Bedre, also of Palestine, on July 29, 1939 in Tyler, Smith County, Texas who preceded her in death on December 30, 2002. She was also preceded in death by her 3 brothers Clyde Marion Oxford, Johnnie Lee Oxford and Earl Thomas Oxford as well as granddaughter and namesake Jeanna Pearl Weeks, and great-grandchildren Alicia Ann and Jacob Kole Miller.

During her lifetime she became a fixture on South Royall Street in Palestine, as well as in the women’s bowling tournaments around the entire country. She worked as the bookkeeper for the livestock sales barn here in Palestine until it closed. She was a member of the Newcomers Club and a member of the First Presbyterian Church. She became an expert cook of Syrian food just by tasting and figuring out the recipe. Her delicious rolled grape leaves and kibbe will be missed by friends and family alike.

She is survived by her three children, Eddie Ray Bedre and wife Mary, Harry Earl “Scooter” Bedre and wife Linda, and Selina Janice Burris and husband Stephen. She is survived by her two sisters, Marie (Oxford) Gilmore of Tyler, Texas and Willodean (Oxford) Brown of Conroe, Texas, and her sisters-in-law Faye (Donahoe) Oxford and Joyce (Hilton) Oxford of Tyler, Texas; Dorothy (Banks) Oxford of Dallas, Texas; Inez (Bedre) Goodwin of Wortham, Texas; Grethel (Gallion) Bedre of Ingleside, Texas; and Georgia (Supak) Bedre of Bremond, Texas. She is also survived by 9 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild as well as nieces and nephews and cousins galore.

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Friday, May 6th at First Presbyterian Church officiated by the Reverends Doug Blanton and Tom Loden. Burial to follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery under the direction of Bailey and Foster, Palestine. The family will receive condolence visits at Bailey & Foster Funeral Home on Thursday evening, May 5th from 6-8 p.m. Pallbearers will be Kelly Ray Carroll, Brian Charles Bedre, Barry Russell Bedre, Eddie Ray Bedre, Jr., Woody Alexander Johnson, Daniel Joseph Burris, Charles Ray “Charlie” Hutcherson and Kristopher Eric Carroll.

Friends of the family wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to do so to either The First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1183, Palestine, Texas 75802 or the Hospice Home Place, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 05-05-2005