Pagie D. Slape

Pagie Dewain (Baker) Slape, 98, of Hulbert, Oklahoma went to be with her Lord and Savior on November 22, 2023. She was born November 18, 1925, to Elmer Baker and Lillie Ann (Howard) Baker in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Pagie attended Mt. Zion School in Cherokee County after attending Irving Elementary in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Pagie lived with and worked for Dr. Graham and his wife after her formal education, attending to home details and caring for the Graham children. Later, Pagie went to work for Stauss Drug Store in Tahlequah. She continued living with the Graham’s until she and Edna, her older sister, rented an apartment in Tahlequah. She continued to work at Stauss Drug for quite some time while Edna worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Pagie married the love of her life, Lee Alvin Slape, on April 4, 1945, in Tahlequah. They shared over 73 years of life and marriage together. They continued running cross breed stock cattle from that time till December 2018. Pagie and her husband previously owned and operated a Grade A dairy farm for 43 years in the Norwood community of Cherokee County. Her family was selected as “Cherokee County Farm Family of the Year” in the early 1960’s. She loved having her vegetable garden. Early on Pagie and Alvin had a fruit grove, including blackberries, peaches, apples, and pear trees. During the summer months, she kept the children busy plus helping with the dairy. Pagie enjoyed being a substitute teacher at Norwood Schools and later she became a full-time cook for Norwood Schools. The students loved her and her home-made meals of yeast breads and desserts. Pagie was a member of the Cherokee County Board of Elections, and she served as election superintendent for the Norwood election polls for forty plus years. She loved and looked forward to greeting the community on election days. Pagie was instrumental in the 4-H Club for Norwood. She carried her portable sewing machine, and with the help of other seamstresses in the community, one day a week she and others taught the older girls how to sew. Pagie and Alvin were charter members of Norwood Lakeview Baptist Church where they attended for many years. Pagie loved her family “big” and enjoyed spending as much time as possible with them. You could always find family or community members there for a meal or a dessert with a hot cup of coffee. She will be missed by everyone who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Lillie Baker; her husband, Lee Alvin; her in-laws, Coy and Ida Slape; three sisters, Edna Hilger (Charley), Beulah (Voss) McFarland; her brother, Alva Baker (Johnnie Ethel); two granddaughters, Lisa Faye (Slape) Richardson and Karen Jane Fryar. Pagie is survived by her children, Larry Slape and wife Patsy (Foster) Slape, Shirley Flaska and husband Jim of Fort Gibson; grandchildren, Darren Fryar of Fort Gibson, Dana (Fryar) Homier and husband Sam of Arcadia, and David Slape of Hulbert; step-grandsons, Jay Flaska, and Tom Flaska and wife Corinne, all of St. Joseph, MO; great-grandchildren, Chelsea (Fryar) Moffett and husband Kyle of Hulbert, Carlee (Fryar) Erwin and husband Colton of Muskogee, Ann Homier and Brittany Homier, both of Oklahoma City; step-great-grandchildren, Isabella and Celia Flaska, Abby Dale and Cameron Reynolds, great-great-grandchildren, Caylee Mae Erwin, twins, Addison Paige and Amelia Anne Moffett, Stryker, Makenna Grace, Beckham, and Kamdynn Reynolds; along with many other family members. The family will receive friends from 5-7PM, Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at Cornerstone Funeral Home. Pagie’s life will be celebrated at 11AM, Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at Cornerstone Funeral Home with Rev. Bobby Botts officiating. Interment will follow at Citizens Cemetery in Fort Gibson with Darren Fryar, David Slape, Greg Moore, Cameron Reynolds, Kyle Moffett, and Colton Erwin serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Tim Leatherman, Paul Howe, Albert McMahan, Ronnie Keeling, Will Botts, Joe Michael Jenkins, Charles Hilger, and Scott Manes.

Pagie D. Slape

November 18, 1925 - November 22, 2023