Wanda Jean Smith

January 14, 1928 - February 12, 2021

Wanda Jean Smith Gile was born on January 14, 1928, in Henryetta, Oklahoma, and passed away Friday, February 12, 2021 in her home in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of seven children of Sidney and Julia Mae Barnard. Jean is survived by her niece, Mary (Gary) Lasarsky, and nephews Steve (Kandy) Sly, Kurt (Carla) Sly Rick (Cindy) Marks and a host of other family members. She is also survived by multiple family members through her marriage to Pete Smith and her marriage to Ben Gile. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Laura, Rubye, Joyce, Geraldine and her brothers Arlie and Floyd. Jean married Pete Smith on September 23, 1971. Together, Pete and Jean managed restaurants and worked their cattle ranch until his death in December of 1997. She married Ben Gile on February 20, 2004, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Jean and Ben lived on the ranch near Wainwright until 2008 when they moved into Muskogee. They lived there together until Ben’s death in May of 2016. After graduating from Central High School in Muskogee, Jean was proud to have worked for one company her entire career, Oklahoma Natural Gas. She began in December of 1946 and worked as an executive secretary until she retired in 1985. Following her retirement, she enjoyed time on the ranch and attending concerts and plays, including multiple trips to see Oklahoma! She enjoyed traveling to a variety of places, including trips to Florida, Alaska, and several trips to Hawaii. An avid, lifelong fan of the University of Oklahoma Sooners, one of her favorite activities was watching football games at Owen Field in Norman, Oklahoma. In her later years, she enjoyed playing board and card games, especially Rummikub with her great-great nieces and nephews. Interment for Wanda will be 2pm, Monday, February 22, 2021 at Fort Gibson National Cemetery. A celebration of her life will be family conducted and held at a later date. The family would like to give a special thanks to Jean’s caretakers who took wonderful care of her, as well as Hometown Hospice.