Merle Sargent

Dewey Merle Sargent passed away peacefully at home at 1:40 a.m. on June 20, 2019. A celebration of her life will take place at 2 PM on Wednesday, June 26, at Advantage Funeral Home, 7720 South Pennsylvania Avenue, Oklahoma City with burial in Resthaven Cemetery at

500 SW 104th St. A light family lunch will be served at the funeral home at 12:30.

Merle, a woman of faith, had attended Exchange Avenue Baptist Church and enjoyed being active for a time in the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother, who also enjoyed playing bingo and was proud of her work in nursing.

Merle was the first child born to Dewey D. Wood and Amy Merle Brewster Wood on January 17, 1920 in Moran, Texas. She married Bill J Sargent in Bryan, Oklahoma on November 21, 1939, and they celebrated more than 68 years of marriage before his death in 2008. For many years they followed Bill’s oilfield work, living in Texas and Oklahoma. They were just happy to be together, celebrating life with family at the lake, in the garden or kitchen, or watching generations of children grow into responsible adults.

Merle’s large family of survivors include her son Billy Eugene Sargent and her daughter Elizabeth Ann (Lisa) Formby, both of Oklahoma City; grandchildren Gerald Wayne (Jerry) Ross and his life partner Shelly Bonner, Angela Renee Ross Guzman and husband Juan of Yukon, Ronald Eugene (Ronnie) Ross, William (Billy) Sargent of Arkoma, Rhonda Gazaway and Sheila Sargent of Oklahoma City; great grandchildren Brook Levi Ross, Jerred Ross, Kristi Himes, Aaron Gazaway, Lauren Ross, Cody Partain, Trent Partain, Gianna Rebecca Guzman, Lizbeth Raquel Guzman, Marco Guzman, Carlos Guzman, and Aaron Guzman. In addition to these she is survived by 14 great-great grandchildren, and one great-great-great granddaughter.

Beyond immediate family, Merle is survived by a sister, Marjorie Rowena Ames of Skiatook, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends in Texas and Oklahoma.

A long life of 99 years means saying goodbyes to many loved ones who have passed on ahead of you. For Merle that included her husband Bill, her parents Dewey and Amy Wood, her stepmother Vera Wood, brothers Charles Wood and Lee Wood, and sisters Clara Mae Hull and Dorothy Ames. Merle recently had expressed a readiness to be reunited with them.

Jesus said to his disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me.” John 14:2-3