Vena Cora DeRoin
Vena Cora DeRoin, longtime resident of the Ponca City community, passed away Sunday, June 24, 2007, at her son’s home in Tulsa. She was 99.
Vena was born March 10, 1908, in rural Red Rock, the daughter of Charles Grant Barnes and Mary Jones Barnes. Vena attended the St. Mary’s Catholic School in Ponca City and later an Indian School in Phoenix, Ariz. Vena helped in the war effort during World War II by working in aircraft manufacturing with Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kan., and Douglas Aircraft in Oklahoma City. She was married to Franklin DeRoin on December 24, 1928.
Vena was a member of the Otoe-Missouria Owl Clan, the Red Rock Indian Baptist Church and the American War Mothers, where she was a past state chairman. One of her enjoyment in earlier years was participating in powwows.
She is survived by her son, Norman DeRoin of Tulsa; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three great, great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one sister, Gertrude Brown; two brothers, Charles “C.G.” Robedeaux and Roy Barnes; and one half brother, John Childs.
Mrs. DeRoin’s body will lay in state at the Otoe Baptist Church, Red Rock, Tuesday evening, June 26, and then at the Otoe-Missouria Cultural Center starting Wednesday afternoon. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Otoe-Missouria Cultural Center with burial to follow in the Otoe-Missouria Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.
Casket bearers will be Hank Childs, Cheek Childs, Mitch Childs, Eldon DeRoin, Frank DeRoin and ArnL Bennett Jr.
ยป Originally published in the Ponca City News.
