Ramona Middleton

(From Parker Mortuary)

On January 22, 2025, Ramona Charlene Middleton ne Tunnell (89), native of Miami, Oklahoma, departed this life. Her loving husband of 71 years, William R. Middleton was with her at their home in Joplin, Missouri. Ramona, who had suffered with congestive heart failure, lost consciousness peacefully.

Ramona was born on December 1, 1935 to Carl and Opal Tunnell of Miami who preceded her in death. She spent her early life in the Miami area and graduated from Miami High School in 1953. 

The second of three girls, she grew to be a take-charge, but persistently gentle and strong woman, although often shy in her interactions. She helped the family by working at a restaurant in Miami every day during her lunch break and cleaning homes for relatives and family friends. She told stories of making 25 cents shampooing and curling an aunt’s hair. 

After high school, she and her older sister, Carleta moved to Albuquerque for a dryer climate and Ramona found work at the Bell Telephone Company typing for a large department of engineers. 

While in Albuquerque, Ramona met young Bill Middleton, an Air Force radar technician, on a church youth outing, hiking in the Sandia Mountains. The story they often told was that Ramona slipped while climbing and Bill caught her, thus starting their romance. They were married on October 20, 1953 back in Ramona’s hometown of Miami, Oklahoma at the chapel of the First Christian Church. They began traveling wherever Uncle Sam sent Bill, although he worked a stint in Fairbanks, Alaska, while Ramona worked as a nanny in Miami, Oklahoma. They lived in Atlanta, Georgia, Bangor, Maine, Maryville, Tennessee, and in Mobile, Alabama, as Bill worked on radar for the FAA. 

In 1956, Ramona had their first child and they continued to build their family for 21 years. Their children are Kathryn Wenzel, Andy Middleton, Sam Middleton, Jonathan MIddleton, Deborah Adkins, Sebra Butler and Susanna Carnes. Bill retired from the Federal Aviation Agency in 1964 and they moved back to Miami, Oklahoma where Bill went into business as the proprietor of Bill’s TV and Electronic Service. 

Ramona worked for her husband as receptionist and bookkeeper. Their business grew and prospered as they worked to care for eight children. However, the business had to close in 1987 when Bill had a serious fall while working on an antenna and suffered a traumatic brain injury. This was a drastic blow to their livelihood and Ramona began working for the DOCS Nutrition for seniors, Meals on Wheels and house cleaning. Ramona served many people by opening her home to them in times of need, feeding and helping them to get on their feet. She and Bill were very active in leadership in their church over the years and led lives of service wherever they saw a need. 

Ramona herself had strong faith and knew that God would always provide for her and her family. She bravely carried the burdens of caring for her parents at the end of their lives and continually cared for her brain-injured husband until the day her life ended. She worked tirelessly and continued to smile and love others. She looked forward to rejoicing in Heaven with her Lord and Savior, never worried about what her future would be.

Ramona’s parents preceded her in death, but her two sisters, Carleta Tunnell Dye of Miami, Oklahoma and Janice Tunnell Hardesty of Ocala, Florida have survived her. 

Ramona leaves her husband, Bill Middleton, and her eight children. She is also grandmother to twenty-seven and great-grandmother to twenty-two children as well as many adopted grandchildren and their little ones. Ramona loved babies and delighted in cuddling and rocking them any time of day. Ramona sang in choirs, even the Billy Graham choir with George Beverly Shea directing. She and Bill were enthusiastic dancers, going out to dance whenever there was an opportunity. At many family reunions they have arranged for a grandson to be DJ and provide lots of dance music for the celebration. The family hopes this can continue far into the future in memory of Ramona’s love of dancing. Laughter was a common sound in the Middleton household, with Ramona leading the way. The children could always find their mother in a crowd if they heard her laughing; her laughter gave many people much joy and comfort. 

Ramona Middleton loved God and people and desired to be remembered as a woman of virtue and joy. She hoped that everyone will celebrate her homegoing. In keeping with Ramona’s wishes, we hope to share in a Celebration of Life in the near future although a date has not yet been set. If you would like to honor this amazing woman, Ramona Middleton, please give to a local church or charity. It would be a blessing to all who knew her.