Mattie Elwanda Pointer-Finley

Mattie Elwanda Pointer-Finley passed away May 30, 2014 in Oklahoma City, OK. She was born November 8, 1921 outside of Garber, Oklahoma to Volentine and Nellie (Renfro) Reiger. Her parents and her sister Velma Malzahn (Reiger) predeceased her. A member of the Greatest Generation she lived through the great depression, WWII, Korean War, the turmoil of the 60's, all while maintaining full time employment at Spartan School of Aeronautics, running a household and raising her son: Jack Dempsey Pointer. Elwanda graduated from Garber High School in 1939, and attended business school, when her parents moved to the Skiatook, Oklahoma area after her graduation from high school. At Skiatook she met and married Jack Dempsey Pointer, Sr. February 8, 1942. Jack Sr. was drafted into the Navy Seebees and ultimately ended up in the 3rd Marine Division, fighting in the Pacific, where he was grievously wounded. After Jack's service in the war, they moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where their son Jack, Jr. was born in 1945. Jack and Elwanda moved back to Skiatook, in 1955. Jack Sr. died in 1975, after 31 years of marriage. In 1977 Elwanda re-married Merle Finley, and continued to live in Skiatook. Merle died in 1999. Elwanda continued to live in the family home until she moved to Norman, Oklahoma to be next to her son Jack and his wife Linda Pointer and her 3 grandchildren and great grandchildren. Elwanda resided in the Rambling Oaks assisted living center until her death. Elwanda retired from Spartan's in 1988, and she and Merle tooled around the U.S. in their "mini-winnie" visiting friends and relatives all across the country. After Merle's death she continued to travel and occasionally she and her grandson Jeff Pointer would take trips together. Elwanda was a talented self-taught artist and remained active in her painting until recently. She enjoyed visiting with friends and her grandchildren and great grandchildren, playing "ole-sol" reading and crossword puzzles. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jack and Linda Pointer, Norman, Oklahoma, grandchildren: Brandon Pointer and his wife Julie of Edmond, Oklahoma and two great grandchildren Noah and Sam; Jennifer Austin (Pointer) and her husband Jeff Austin, of Norman, Oklahoma and to great grandchildren, Sydney and Jack; Jeff Pointer of Japan and his wife Hisato. Jerry Malzahn, a nephew and his wife Lylia of Dallas, Texas: Gus Malzahn III, great nephew, Auburn, Ala: cousins, Vernice Childers, and Charles Childers of Midwest City, OK. Graveside services were held at Osage Garden Cemetery in Skiatook, OK on June 3, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. with Reverend Dale Nielsen officiating. Interment was under the direction of Peters-Stumpff Funeral Home

Mattie Elwanda Pointer-Finley

November 8, 1921 - May 30, 2014