Leatrice "Vernece" Hickey Bales was born to Clarabelle and Arvle Hickey on December 1, 1932 in Erick, OK. She went to be with the Lord on April 13, 2024 in Oklahoma City, OK.

Vernece was the oldest of ten children, 9 of whom grew up to adulthood. She loved her parents and siblings dearly. Some of her siblings called her Vern and it was a term of endearment.

Vern lived on farms, with her family, until she was married. Her earliest memories were on a farm in Dumas, Texas. Other farms were located in Mustang and Yukon, Oklahoma.

As a teenager, Vernece attended a church camp and received the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior and was baptized in a creek.

While still living on the Yukon farm and attending high school, she also had a job at the T.G.& Y. store in Bethany, Oklahoma. It is through that job and her friendships with Norma Lee and Verla Bales that she met her future husband, William Kendall Bales. They married in 1950 on December 4. They were married for 71 years until Kendall passed in 2022.

Two years after marriage, Vernece and Kendall had their first child, William Kendall Bales Jr. Bill, as he is known, was born while Kendall was serving in the Army during the Korean War. Vernece and Kendall would later welcome 2 daughters into their world, DeNiece and June.

Even though jobs were hard to find for a woman that had 3 small children, Vernece was always pushing herself to do better. After years of working odd in-house jobs to make ends meet, she studied and graduated from cosmetology school and became a beautician. Later she managed the beauty shop at Dillard's at Shepherd Mall in the mid-60s. She was proud of her job and we were very proud of her. She also worked as a PBX operator at Baptist and St. Anthony hospitals, then moving into a customer service position at Norick Brothers Printing. Her qualities of persistence and diplomacy landed her a stay-at-home customer service job with a former vendor at Norick Brothers, after Norick Brothers closed their business. She maintained this position until she was nearly 78 years old.

Vern's lifelong excitement for sports made her the perfect grandmother for six grandchildren involved in soccer, dance, skating, gymnastics and baseball. She was passionate about supporting her grandkids in any activity. In fact, she never hesitated to express her passion to the referees when she witnessed an inappropriate play by the opposing team. She was a fanatical fan and no referee was safe from her wrath. Even during her final years of life, Vernece faithfully watched all types of sports in her room at Bellevue Nursing Center. She always knew more about the players than most of us. Her love of sports gave her a chance to directly participate in the lives of her grandchildren. She was always on the sidelines cheering them on.

In the late 70s, Vernece took up the hobby of painting ceramics. In the foyer, you can see the incredible patience and talent she had in doing it. She truly enjoyed giving beautiful pieces of her work to people she loved. We are very blessed to be recipients.

Vern will be remembered for her love of family, and always wanting to stay in close contact with her 2 brothers and 6 sisters, as well as her children and grandchildren. She had a generous heart and always put her kids' and grandkids' needs before her own. She sacrificed many things to give them the best she could.

Vern will leave a warm fuzzy feeling in each of us and a legacy of a great mom, extraordinary grandma and a loving great-grandma. So many lives have been touched by her love and she will be sorely missed on this side of heaven.

Vernece was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kendall; and daughter-in-law, Pam Bales.

She is survived by her son, Bill Bales; her daughter, DeNiece and son-in-law, Randy Donalson; her daughter, June and son-in-law, Donnie Smith; grandchildren, Wade and Kristina Smith, Kassie and Justin Zerkle, Brandon and Alicia Bales, Logan and Todd Bayles, B.J. & Lauren Donalson, and Shane Donalson; great-grandchildren, Jaxon Smith ,Kaydence Smith, Gavin Smith, Kolson Smith, Paxton Zerkle, Deacon Zerkle, Dawson Zerkle, Gareth Bayles, Wells Bayles, Rhett Bayles, Elizabeth Donalson, Claire Donalson, Naomi Donalson and Sam Donalson; and many nieces and nephews.

Viewing at Mercer-Adams will be Thursday, April 18, 8am – 2pm. Funeral services will also be held on Thursday at 2:00pm at Mercer-Adams Chapel with interment following in Bethany Cemetery.