Clairlee Hankins

(From Clark Funeral Home)

September 9, 1921 - May 24, 2021

~Tribute lovingly written by her daughter, Julia~

Clairlee Hankins was born at Black Fox Hollow in Little Kansas, Oklahoma, then moved to Depew, Oklahoma, then to Ingalls, Oklahoma where she attended grade school; then moved to Ripley, Oklahoma where she attended high school and graduated (her school bus driver had been one of President Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders). 

In high school she was a cheerleader and played basketball-when she started playing basketball, the court was in three sections (forward/center/guard), her senior year it was changd to two sections, and she played half court as a guard. 

She graduated in 1938 and married Ralph Hankins on January 21, 1939 and they left for Twin Falls, Idaho in a Chevrolet with a rumble seat! While living there, she had one daughter, Julia. After they moved back to Oklahoma, they lived in Ripley and then moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma where she had one son, Richard and lost one son, Tommy Joe at birth. 

They lived in Ponca City until her husband retired from Continental Oil Company (they also farmed part-time while in Ponca City). They then moved to Missouri where they farmed full time in Eagle Rock, Wheaton, Miller, Buffalo, Blue Eye and Granby. 

Her husband loved to trade farms and cars, he traded cars so often she would sometime forget what car she was driving when she went shopping! 

After her husband passed away, she moved into town in Neosho and lived there until 2016 when she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law in Cedar Creek, Missouri.

Her life was a loving example as a devoted housewife and Mother and ALWAYS put her Savior and family first. After becoming a Christian in her early thirties, she started teaching Sunday school immediately as a primary boys teacher and continued teaching every year all different ages (her favorite was young people). 

She taught Sunday school, vacation Bible school, summer camps, Bible studies and anywhere she was needed. She even taught a Men's class, even though the men at first said the Bible says women aren't supposed to teach men and with God's help and lots of prayer, it worked out. After sixty plus years of being a faithful teacher, she stepped down, but continued being a Faithful Prayer Warrior!

Clairlee is survived by a daughter, Julia Rogers; a son, Richard Hankins; four granddaughters; eight great grandchildren; one great great grandson; one great great granddaughter and a many, many friends. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, son, parents, two brothers and sisters in law and a son in law.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

Neosho IOOF Cemetery
Thursday, May 27, 2021
10:00 AM
901 E. South St
Neosho, MO 64850

Friends may call at the Clark Funeral Home on Wednesday from noon until 5 pm.

Contributions in memory of Clairlee may be made to Sweetwater Baptist Church, c/o Clark Funeral Home, PO Box 66; Neosho, MO 64850.