TEASDALE — Lottie Mae Blakely Toole, age 82, went to her heavenly home, on Wednesday, July 5.
Visitation will be held from noon until 2 p.m. with the funeral scheduled for today, July 10, in the chapel of Newsom Funeral Home with interment following at Oak Hill Cemetery at Enid.
She was born December 21, 1940 in Coffeeville to Minnie Reeves Blakely and Herbert Blakely. She was raised in Coffeeville by her paternal grandparents, Annie Maud and Rufus Blakely. She graduated from Coffeeville High School in 1959 and attended business school in Memphis, Tenn.
It was in Memphis that she met and married her husband, Melvin Toole. In 1967, they moved back to Mississippi where they raised three children Melanie, Joey, and Blake in the Teasdale community, where Melvin farmed with his father. They were married for 55 years.
Lottie was a homemaker until her youngest child started school. In 1975, she went to work at Denman Animal Clinic in Charleston. She worked there as a receptionist for 15 years. It was a perfect fit for her, surrounded by cats, dogs, and the five Denman children that she grew to love as her own. She later went to work for the Army Corps of Engineers, Grenada Lake office. She worked there as procurement clerk until her retirement in 2016, at the age of 75. She made many dear friends there.
Lottie was a member of Enid United Methodist Church. When it closed, she joined Bethel Church in Teasdale. After moving to assisted living in Batesville in 2020, she frequently attended Bryant Lane Cowboy Church in Como. She was a devout Christian and relied on her faith to get her through hard times, especially the tragic death of her son, Joey, in 1985.
Lottie was a member of the Teasdale Ladies Auxiliary for many years. She also was the secretary for the Enid-Oak Hill Cemetery Association. She enjoyed gardening, quilting, and bird watching, especially hummingbirds. She loved babies, animals, spending time with her grandchildren, and all things ELVIS! She was preceded in death by her husband Melvin Toole, a son Joey Toole, and a half sister, Emily Ritchlin.
She is survived by a daughter Melanie Toole Ridgway (Jamie) of Brandenburg, Ky.; a son, Blake Toole (Vicki) of Senatobia; grandchildren Tyler Toole (Shelby), Sarah Toole (Brandon Williamson) Joseph Ridgway, Eli Ridgway, and a bonus grandson, Parker Smithey. She also leaves one great-grandson, Asa Toole. She is also survived by a sister Minnie Blakely McMinn (Bill) of Coffeeville; a half sister, Billie Reeves of Ridgeland;, a stepmother, Ruth Blakely; and three half siblings, Tim Blakely, Kim Blakely Thackara (Loren), and James Blakely (Tracy), all of the Fort Worth, Texas area; and one uncle, George Blakely (Faye) of Coffeeville, who was like a brother to her. She leaves many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
Online condolences may be made at www.newsomfuneralhome.com.
