Maritta A Gumtau

MARITTA COATES GUMTAU

BORN ON AUGUST 20, 1944, IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO GENEVA LUMLEY COATES AND CHARLES COATES. SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER FATHER, CHARLES COATES AND HER MOTHER GENEVA COATES.

EVERYONE KNEW MARITTA AS “MIDDY”.   SHE WAS AN ONLY CHILD AND LOVED DEARLY.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND, ARTHUR GUMTAU; DAUGHTER, KARA WHILDEN; SON, LLOYD LAWTON; STEPSON, TOD GUMTAU; GRANDSON, CAMERON WHILDEN AND WIFE NATALIE WHILDEN; GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, PRESTON ELLICOTT, RYELAND ELLICOTT AND BLAKE WHILDEN.

MIDDY WAS A FEATURE TWIRLER AT CAPITOL HILL HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS MISS MAJORETTE OF OKLAHOMA. SHE ENJOYED DIRECTING AND TEACHING HER NATIONAL CHAMPION TWIRLING CORPS, AS THE VETERETTES.

MIDDY WORKED AS A SECRETARIAL AND ADMINSTRATIVE ASSISTANT, SHE WORKED FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TINKER AFB AND ULTIMATELY FAA, WHERE SHE WAS FORTUNATE TO MEET HER FUTURE HUSBAND ART GUMTAU.

MIDDY WAS BLESSED WITH A HAPPY LOVING MARRIAGE OF 36 PLUS YEARS. ART WAS A FABULOUS HUSAND AND THE LOVE OF HER LIFE.

AS MANY KNOW —ART'S JOB REQUIRED MOVING TO DIFFERENT STATES. THEY ENJOYED HOMES IN PHILIDELPHIA, ALASKA, AS WELL AS BOSTON AND


THE NEW HAMPSHIRE AREA. SHE MADE MANY FRIENDS AT THE VARIOUS PLACES AND SHE ENJOYED LIVING THERE. ULTIMATELY, UPON HER HUSBAND ART RETIRING, THEY RETURNED TO HER FAMILY HOME STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

MIDDY CAME TO KNOW THE LORD JESUS AS HER PERSONAL SAVIOR THRU HER DEAR FRIEND BEA. SHE ENJOYED BIBLE READING AND PRAYING WITH HER HUSBAND ART.

MIDDY AND ART ENJOYED TRAVELING. SHE HAD THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO GO LIVE WITH ART WHILE HE WAS WORKING IN AFGHANISTAN.   THEY ENJOYED TRIPS TO PARIS, GERMANY, SPENT THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY AT LAKE COMO IN SWITZERLAND.   THEY ALSO WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE MANY OF THEIR DEAR FRIENDS TRAVEL ON ADVENTURES WITH THEM, AS WELL AS SOME CAME TO VISIT AND STAY IN THE PLACES THEY LIVED.

MIDDY HAD A LIFELONG LOVE OF ANIMALS, JUST LIKE HER DADDY CHARLES. SHE OFTEN RESCUED AND TRIED OR TOOK IN UNWANTED ANIMALS. SHE WAS AN AVID DOLL COLLECTOR; SHE HAD ANTIQUE DOLLS FROM FRANCE, GERMANY AND AROUND THE WORLD. AS WELL AS AN EXTENSIVE DRESDEN-MEISSEN FIGURINE COLLECTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, MIDDY WAS TAKEN FROM HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY WAY TOO SOON. SHE LEAVES BEHIND MANY DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT ARE HEARTBROKEN BY HER PASSING. ULTIMATELY, WE KNOW SHE IS WITH THE LORD REJOICING!!


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