The Seibel Family Stories - Let Me Tell You a Story

William Clarence (Shang) Ketchum and Alma Maybelle Hoodenpyle

4/1/2020

Alma Maybelle Hoodenpyle

The following are stories written by the children of Shang and Alma Ketchum about their lives growing up. These stories were sent to me by Puddin Ketchum McKenzie.

First, just the facts as they say. Shang was born in 1907 to James Isaac Ketchum and Hettie Cook. He was a farmer in Comanche County, Oklahoma. Shang passed away in 1946. Alma was born on April 01, 1908 in Oklahoma and passed on October 30, 1989. Alma married William Clarence (Shang) Ketchum on December 19, 1926 in Cotton County, Oklahoma Alma worked for the Lintz Department Store, Sherry's House of Fashion, and Arthur Higgins, Ltd. in Lawton, Oklahoma and was active in the Beta Mu Chapter of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Sorority and Camp Fire Girls. Shang and Alma are buried in the family cemetery, Rock Creek Cemetery in Stephens County, Oklahoma.

Shang was my grandmother, Brooksie's older brother. Shang and Alma had four children Bobbie, Johnny, Wynell (Puddin), and Larry. Puddin submitted all stories that are told. The stories are as written and most dates and those of still living people are omitted. I have added all documentation that I have found in newspapers, etc.

The first story is told by Bobbie:

Bobbie K. Shaw

My name is Bobbie Pauline {Ketchum] Shaw, (Bobbie dropped the Pauline and uses Bobbie K. Shaw), eldest child of Alma Maybelle Hoodenpyle and William Clarence {Shang} Ketchum who were married 19 December 1926. I was born 16 February 1928 on the County line between Cotton and Comanche Counties - near Hulen. We were married in the Governor's mansion where a big dinner party was about to happen. We had attained our marriage license and when we went to another department at the Court House, a member of the Sheriff's Department asked some questions and learned that Judge had just been discharged from the Army after a long tour in Europe so the deputy made some telephone calls, said to come with him...we did without knowing where we were going. When we arrived, we were taken inside, introduced and invited to join the party, however since we were very underdressed, {and very nervous} we had the ceremony which started our fifty-four-plus years of fun, work, travel, and just living in good harmony. We had our first son **** - Larry Franklin - who was our pride and joy until June 197 when he expired due to polio age 10 1/2 months. Then on **** our only daughter was stillborn. We moved to Texas in May 1948 where he was the Nash automobile dealer and later he added the Packard franchise.

Other exciting events occurred in 1949 such as brother Johnny (Clarence T.) married Earlene Corwin on April 23. That ended and he is now married to Lee Johnson. Sister Wynell "Pud" married Albert Henry McKenzie on August 13 and they celebrated their 50 years together in 1999.

While in Wichita Falls, our son Luther Jr. better known as Luke was born on ****. He was lost to us on May 25, 1952 at the age of almost ** due to a drunken driver who hit us head on near Randlett, OK.

Then we moved to Iowa Park in 1955 where he was owner of the Ford Motor Company dealership and enjoyed a successful business and liked living in this community. Iowas Park still is a very small community but much larger now.

In **** we were contacted by a local friend/businessman concerning a yet unborn baby. We decided to speak with the authorities, made all the arrangements and waited about four months for the arrival of Jeffrey William Shaw on ****.

In 1986 Ford Motor Company contacted Luther and offered to purchase the dealership. This was not in his plans, but when a generous offer was made, he could not pass it up. So on July 21, 1986, we passed the keys to the building to the new owner.

Luther had been having difficulty remembering things for a few months, not able to figure deals we well as he had before, he had a physical by Dr. Robert Drewery in Lawton. Since there was no test for Alzheimer's, there was only one way to determine it present...by elimination of all other possibilities. This proved to be the problem. He no longer enjoyed traveling, or just going out to eat. This terrible disease robs a person of personality, self pride, and all the things that makes a person what they are. He nevver got mean but he did become scared, unable to care for himself so Jeff and I took care of him as much as possible. He loved to swim but was suddenly afraid of water, he loved a good steak, but suddenly didn't and so many other different quirks to his nice personality - it was very late in his life that he forgot to smile all the time. He left us on 31 December 19999. He is sorely missed.

Since I had developed health problems, my sister "Pud" brought her family of boys and trucks and boxes to pack me out of our home in Iowa Park and move me out of our home in Iowa Park and move me to Lawton. I built a house just west of she and Albert and they are always here if and when I need them.

Jeff still lives in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Bobbie {Ketchum} Shaw
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Bobbie passed from this life on Friday, December 16, 2011 in Lawton, Oklahoma.

The following is written by Johnny (Clarence T.):

This branch of the family tree begins with Alma May Belle's first-born son, Clarence Thelbert. Most people know him as "Johnny".

Johnny's dad died when he was 15 years old. He did all he could to take on the responsibility as man of the family. His mother was now a widow with four children and it was a desperately impoverished time in our country. It was a time when many young people did not finish school. He thought about quitting school, but his mom would have none of it.

1946 Lawton, OK City Directory

Many people thought Alma would have to send her children to live with relatives at least temporarily. But that would not happen. Alma worked at least two jobs continuously for most of the rest of her life. Her children all worked at odd jobs to help out. They ate a lot of beans and potatoes and corn bread. but at least they ate. They didn't have very good clothes and they were as poor as dirt. But they didn't know it. They told stories, and played games and played tricks on each other. They laughed and cried and lived and took care of each other. And they were loved. And they were happy.

Even now, when her children tell stories of their childhood, they do not paint the bleak picture most of us might imagine. Their memories focus on the love of their mother, what a character she was, and what a sense of security she provided for them.

We've all heard that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. It was certainly true of this family. Alma was a Godly Christian woman whose faith gave her courage and strength. She was the strongest person I've ever known. And as her children became adults, they too each developed strong work ethics, strong sense of family, and strong sense of right and wrong.

Johnny married Earlene Corwin in 1949. They had three children: Deynna Susan, Kimberly Ann, and John Corwin, nicknamed Korky. Eventually they divorced. It was several years before Johnny married again. He met and married Lee Johnson. They now live southwest of Lawton in the rural community of Faxon just off I-44. Johnny still owns and operates his own hydraulic services and machine shop in Lawton, OK.

Johnny's Autobiography:
"My life began on ****. My memory starts some two years later. I remember a lot of little things about them. One was my older sister Bobbie, went to stay over night with the neighbors. I was very young and was not supposed to be aware of the happenings that night of ****. The next morning my Dad and I went to the neighbors to get my sister and tell her the good news of us having a new little sister named Wynell (better known as Puddin).

Lawton Constitution, June 10, 1948, page 18

A lot of things happened the next 12-13 years. One being my Dad passed away. That's when Mom surprised everyone but us three kids...Larry was still too young to know. She had never worked a day outside the home, but she took over her family and she did everything right. Two years later we bought a home. She never accepted any help outside her little family. She not only raised us, but she did a fine job of it. She taught us to fear God and to love him. She also aught us the value of honesty and hard work.

I married at age 19, and had 3 great kids. I also have 5 grandchildren. I am married, and Lee and I live southwest of Lawton. I'm 74 years old, and I still work each day and enjoy it to the fullest. I am very proud to be half Hoodenpyle."
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Johnny passed from this life on May 01, 2006 in Edmond, OK from complications from surgery. He was called Johnson after the song "Johnson had an ole Grey Mare" all time he was a kid. Earlene started calling him Johnny when they started dating and he legally changed his name to CT John Ketchum.

MY FAMILY REMEMBRANCES
Wynell Puddin (Ketchum) McKenzie

Puddin Ketchum McKenzie

Alma Maybelle Hoodenpyle Ketchum, was the kindest, Christian, most fun to be with person. She always pointed out the good in everyone and could find nothing bad enough in others to make comments about. This outstanding lady was my Mother!

I was born right in the corner of Stephens County. You could stand in the front yard and throw a rock into Cotton or Comanche County. The house was a miserable shack of a house and there was a blizzard in full swing on ****. There were holes in the roof that let the snow filter in on the bed covers where I was being born. My brother, Johnson and my sister, Bobbie, was sent to the neighbor's house for the big event. When morning came, and a new baby sister was announced the choice of a name began. Daddy thought I should be named after the two grandmothers, Hettie for his mom and Belle for mother's mom. Little Hettie Belle, ugh! Mom said NO! and somehow I got named Alma Wynell. This was a short lived title, because my daddy, William Clarence Ketchum, more commonly known as Shang, rocked and sang to his new little bundle of joy and sang songs that were a mixture of the real thing and his own words. He was singing "Cotton Eye Joe", and he changed the words to "Pudding Eye or Puddin Eye Joe and sometimes shortened it to Puddin. This was the version adopted by most folks and even today at the age of **, many members of my family don't even realize my real name. I like the nickname and I feel as if it's more mine than the real one.

We grew up in a happy home, and we never knew we were poor financially, 'cause Mama never told us. She always had something on the table good to eat, and I always had real cute little dresses, even though they might have been made out of an aunt's dress that had been washed and re-cut into a genuine style of the day. We always had this and laughed a lot together.

Bobbie (Shaw) my sister, and Johnnie (CLarence Thelbert) Ketchum, my brother have laughed about the houses were were born in. Bobbie's burned down, Johnnie's blew away and mine just fell down. Does this sound like the three little pigs or what"

Larry David our little brother came along 9 years after I did, and he was a sweetie. He was born in a real hospital in Lawton Southwestern Hospital. Bobbie got to name him Larry, and I got to name him David, one of my favorite boy names. He was called Larry David much of the time, but later shortened to Larry. Sadly for us all, Larry drowned in a farm pond 4 miles east of Lawton, OK at the intersection of Gore and 45th street on ****. Albert (Puddin's husband) was on the Lawton Fire Department and on emergency crew on that night. He dived into the water so long that they tied a rope around him to haul him in if he didn't come back up. However, Larry couldn't be saved.

Daddy got sick with appendicitis and had to be admitted to SW Hospital and they told him this was an emergency and he would have to have surgery. This worried him, because he had never been sick in the hospital in his entire life. But they did the surgery and he seemed to be doing just fine and was coming home the next day. The hospital called and told Mama that he had taken real sick and to come quick. However he was dead before she arrived at the hospital. He died from a blood clot in the lung or heart. This was March 12, 1946.

He was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery, sixteen miles east of Lawton, OK. Daddy had been a good one and I have been accused of being his pet, who he spoiled rotten. You know how the stories go!

Daddy's death caused quite a difference in our life style. Mother went to work, I took care of Larry and Johnnie worked for Elbert Gee in the automotive business. Bobbie had already married Luther Shaw (everyone called him Judge). We purchased a home at 1709 S. 6th Street in Lawton. We all thought it was the finest place that ever was. Love was always in abundance in our home.

Albert McKenzie

I married Albert H. McKenzie on ****. My hero. He went to work for the Lawton Fire Department ten days later, and stayed with them for almost 28 years. I got the better deal, for he has stayed with me for fifty-five years come this August (the time of this writing). We have had a wonderful life and raised 44 great kids. Three sons, Albert Jr., Michael Shannon and Patrick Jon. Then along came Juana Gale, a little girl seven years old who needed a home, so we adopted her in ****.

(Puddin included a detailed story of her children here, but due to privacy issues I will not subject them to a chance of identity theft)

We purchased 120 acres near Lake Lawtonka in 1989 with the intentions of fulfilling a dream of having all the kids, grand-kids, great grand-kids and the whole gang living in our own family compound so to say. Each one would be given X number of acres and then the remainder would be open with room to roam. Teresa's Mom and Dad, Clarence and Jean Newsom had moved here from Hot Springs, AR to make their home We convinced them to put a mobile home on the farm. Unfortunately, Clarence became ill and never got to realize his dream of living there and being surrounded with grand-kids. Jean was the first one to live on our new farm in her new mobile home in ***.

Teresa and Albie built a native rock home and moved in 1996. All of the family worked in some way on the building.

We built our home and moved in ****. Albert, Pat, and I have enjoyed it more every day we live here.

Mike, Pam and Amanda built and moved into their home in ****.

We decided that Bobbie needed to come up here and live where she would be close to her family and we could all have lots of fun together. We moved her up to our house in 2 days time. She lived with us until her house was built and it was finished in ****.

In a very short time, we will have more folks building and moving in and the more the merrier.

This is a brief synopsis of my life, Puddin Kethcum McKenzie
Daughter of Alma May Belle Hoodenpyle Ketchum & W.C. Shang Ketchum

A sad note - the love of my life Albert started getting sick, falling, forgetting & was finally diagnosed with Alsheimers I took care of him until it became impossible & had to move him into the new Veterans Center which is beautiful, clean & good care. But its sure not home, I go sit with him & talk to him, feed him everyday for 5 or 6 hrs. and thank God every day I still have him.

(Vicky's Note: Albert passed on November 12, 2008)

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