STOUT, Theresa A. (Beck)

Theresa A. (Beck) Farthing Stout was born to John Wesley and Iris Naomi Beck on July 25, 1915 in Bellevue, Texas. She died on January 3, 2009 at age 93 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Services will be 11:00 AM Thursday January 8, 2009 at Shawnee First Baptist Church, with Dr. Dan Williams and Dr. Paul Calmes officiating. Viewing will be Tuesday and Wednesday 8am-8pm at Walker Funeral Service. After living in numerous places in Texas and Oklahoma, she graduated from Wagoner High School in 1932. She then attended Oklahoma College for Women where she majored in Piano and graduated in 1936. She also did additional course work at Oklahoma Baptist University in Education. While teaching elementary school at Bethel, near Shawnee, she married James Thelbert Farthing in 1939. They were married for 37 years, until his death in December 1976. They had two children, James David Farthing, born 1942 and Iris Farthing Harp, born 1947. In 1978, Theresa married John I. Stout of Shawnee, and they were married for 19 years until his death in June 1998. She was very active in Blackburn Chapel Baptist Church, and then, after 1948, in First Baptist Church of Shawnee where she taught Sunday School, in the Primary III Department, for many years, sang in the Sanctuary Choir, and sang in the Halleluiah Chorus. She was also active in WMU and the Mary Sunday School Class. She was also a Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, a long-time member of PEO, the Shawnee Fine Arts Club, the Mary Horton Round Table, and the Wa Pa He Study Club. Before her children were born she taught Music in the Bethel Schools from 1936 to 1941. When her children left for college, she returned to teaching as an elementary teacher in Shawnee Public Schools and then as an early childhood specialist in the Follow-Through Program in the Shawnee Public Schools from 1966 û 1979. Throughout her life she was devoted to her family, and that family grew as she welcomed the children and grandchildren of what came to be called the Stout side of the family. In addition to her husbands, Thelbert Farthing and John Stout, she was preceded in death by her brother John Wesley Beck II and her sister LaVerne Parks. She is survived by her children: James David Farthing and wife Ramona of Shawnee, OK and Iris Eugenia Harp and husband Harry of Eufaula, OK, and her stepchildren: Leola Jo Stout Johnson and husband Randy of Tecumseh, OK and Arlin Stout and wife Debbie of McCloud, OK. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren: James David Farthing, II and wife Sheila of Sterling, VA; Barry Harp & wife Teresa of Bealeton, VA; Kerry Harp & Mike Lyndin of Mesa, AZ; B. J. Johnson and wife Melissa of Shawnee, OK; Erin Shaw and husband Steve of Tecumseh, OK; Candi Lamb and husband Erik of Edmond, OK; and John Nicholas Stout of Norman, OK. Finally she is survived by thirteen great-grand children: Jacob, Katherine, and Madison Farthing of Sterling, VA; Alicia, Jacob, Tyler, and Chloe Harp of Bealeton, VA; Ryley and Carter Lyndin of Mesa AZ; Brandon and Scotlynn Shaw of Tecumseh, OK; Ava Lamb of Edmond, OK; and Brady Johnson of Shawnee, OK. The family wishes to thank to staff of Sterling House of Shawnee and the staff of Heartland Hospice for their loving concern and care for our mother and grandmother during the past 18 months. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up at Oklahoma Baptist University to benefit Early Childhood Education.