History of the French Family (IX)

by Sylvia French Waack (this chapter)

Since Daddy started his (our) family record here, for the benefit of the other members of the French family who will receive this, I will condense this portion and make what he wrote another chapter for our use.

Otto Ervy French married Ida Della Patison in their own home at 518 East 9th Street, in Pittsburg, Kansas, April 3, 1904, by the Rev. Hugh McBirney, pastor of a Methodist Church.

To this union were born a premature baby; Sylvia Marie, on June 20, 1908; Otto Eugene, born November 30, 1910; Mary Elizabeth, born January 1, 1917; John Wiley, born and passed away May 25, 1918, Kenneth Lee, born and passed away May 21, 1921; and Mary Alice, born February 25, 1923.

Sylvia Marie French married Chester August Waack from Rock Island, Illinois, on July 20, 1930 at Faith Tabernacle in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by the Rev. W. F. Garvin.

RosaLee Mae Waack.  She was married to Richard Junior Groleau of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  To this union was born William Wesley, Yvonne Marie, John Henry, Rebecca Jean, and Peter Elmer.

Loretta Marie Waack, born October 15, 1934.  Loretta was retarded and never married.  She passed away September 1, 1985, and is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Chester August Waack passed away November 3, 1983, and is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Otto Eugene French married Evelyn Mae Williams on December 20, 1931 at the home of the groom.  To this union were born three children: Margaret Eleanor, Evelyn French, and John Edwin.

Margaret Eleanor married James Frank (Pat) Goodacre on July 24, 1954.  To this union was born two sons: Dennis James, and David Charles.  After the boys were grown, Margaret and Pat were divorced but remained on friendly terms.  Pat was killed in an accident on the farm where he was working, by being thrown from a horse on October 13, 1984.

Margaret married Bill Richardson on May 7, 1984 and they live in Jenks, Oklahoma.

Evelyn Jeanine married Bill Bortzfield on August 17, 1955.  To this union were born three children: Donald Kevin, James Michael (Mike), and Vikki Lynn.  After the children were grown, Jeanine and Bill were divorced.  Jeanine married Bill Lycan on May 14, 1984.  They are presently living with Evelyn and running a restaurant in Tulsa.

John Edwin married Glenna Stinnett.  To this union were born two children: Renee Glenda and John Eugene.  John and Glenna were soon divorced after John Eugene's birth.

John Edwin married Doris Mae Anglin on January 30, 1959 and to this union were born two children: Debra Mae and Jack Edward.  John and Doris live in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Otto Eugene French had a heart attack and passed away a few days later in the hospital in Muskogee, Oklahoma on April 15, 1976.  He was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Mary Elizabeth French took the flu during the epidemic of 1918 which went into pneumonia and she passed away November 9, 1918 and is buried at the family plot in Oaklawn Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as are John Wiley and Kenneth Lee.  Otto and Ida are also buried there.

Mary Alice French was married to Preston Ferguson March 4, 1940.  To this union was born Robert Preston.  Preston had been deferred from the Army until the baby was born, so he had to leave immediately for service.  After his return from service, Mary Alice and Preston were divorced.

Mary Alice was was married to Robert A. Gilkey on March 25, 1946.  To this union was born Sharon Louise and Marla Ann.

Robert Preston was adopted by Robert A. Gilkey after his marriage to Mary Alice.  Robert Preston married Shari Dupuis in 1962 and to this union was born Sandra Lee and David Robert.  Many years later, Robert Preston and Shari were divorced.

On January 9, 1984, Robert Preston married Cheryl Fercho, who had three children, Dennis, Steven, and Deborah, making a family of five children.  They reside in Camarillo, CA.

Sharon Louise Gilkey married Dean Carmen in 1979 and to this union was born Jessica.

Marla Ann Gilkey married Clinton Parrish in 1969, and to this union was born Clinton Keith Parrish on June 17, 1970.  Marla's husband, Clinton Parrish, was killed in a motorcycle accident on the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day in 1977.

Mary Alice and Bob Gilkey live in Tacoma, Washington during the summer and then live in their motor home in Arizona during the winter, enjoying the sunshine.  Marla Ann lives just three doors from them in Tacoma, while Sharon Louise lives in Kirkland, Washington.

Otto and Ida French lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, most of their lives, except for a few years while they were out west.  When they went with Mary Alice to Tacoma to marry Robert Gilkey in 1946, they decided to sell out and move to Tacoma.  After a few months there, they moved on down to Long Beach, California, and bought a four-plex where Otto worked in the Douglas Aircraft plant.  In 1952, they sold this and moved back to Tulsa.

Otto had a heart attack while raking leaves while Sylvia and Ida had gone to Blackwell to visit Ida's cousin, Minnie Newman.  He was taken to the hospital after their return home, where he lived about a month before passing away on November 17, 1969 at the age of 85.

Ida continued to live one year in the home at 1427 South Florence Place, Tulsa, before selling the home and moving to University Village Retirement Center on her 85th birthday, December 5, 1970.  She loved her little apartment there.  She passed away on March 20, 1984, at the age of 98.

Previous: Ida’s Family
Coming soon: Lillie’s Family
Contents: History of the French Family (Contents)

Transcribed from History of the French Family.