Letha James

Letha Hooper James was born on December 22nd, 1957, the daughter of Rufus and Geneva Dreadfulwater-Hooper. She grew up with three brothers and one sister, Christine, Jerry ,Terry and Joe, and attended school at Sequoyah. In 1976, she married her best friend and the father of her children, Calvin James, in Tulsa, OK. This marriage has lasted for over 45 years. Letha earned her living as a Sanitation Technician for the Cherokee Nation. The rest of her time was she was the wife, mother and grandmother that everyone depended on. They depended on Letha to support them at all the ball games they played in at Sequoyah, she and Calvin never missed. There was nothing she enjoyed more than gathering those she loved around her for one of her special chicken and dumpling dinner, or one of her famous egg gravy and biscuit breakfast, and no one made fry bread like Letha. She liked to spend her quiet time doing beautiful Cherokee beadwork. She was quiet and reserved until she got to know you. In her childhood, she had been fluent in Cherokee, but following attendance of boarding school, she was no longer able to speak Cherokee but understood what was said, and taught Calvin some of the language as well. She was warm and friendly, often making those around her feel welcome, and she used this at her home church of Elm Tree Baptist, where she was a life long member. The more time she had to spend with her family the better she liked it. She could spend hours making them laugh and chasing those precious grandbabies around the house. Her health began to fade and she passed from this life on February 28th, 2021 in Tahlequah, OK, surrounded by those she loved so dearly in life. She was 63 years old and will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Roy and Nanny Hooper, her maternal grandfather, Joe Dreadfulwater, her mother and father, and one sister, Christine.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Calvin James of the home in Tahlequah and her children, Dominic James and companion Anissa Wesley of Tulsa, OK, Shannon James and companion Casey Tanner of Claremore, OK, and Shawna Salazar and husband Juan of Tahlequah, OK. She leaves three brothers, Jerry Hooper of Ft Gibson, OK, Terry Hooper and wife Denise of Tahlequah, OK and Joe Hooper and wife Tina of Tahlequah, OK. She will live on in her thirteen grandchildren, Derek James, Alena James, Tia James, Dominique James, Daniel Hubbard, Tyeus Daugherty, Natiya Daugherty, Sadie Cloud, Nathan Cloud, Mekhi Salazar, D’Nico James, Amiya Salazar and Zack-A-Roo Salazar. She also leaves four great grandchildren, Avery James, Elias Llamas, Avianna Rodriguez, and Kaiden James, a special sister-in-law, Brenda Trejo, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.

Funeral services for Letha Hooper-James will be held on Thursday, March 4th, 2021 at 2:00 PM at Elm Tree Baptist Church with Reverend D.J. McCarter officiating. Pallbearers for Letha include Joey Hooper, Brad Hooper, Matt Hooper, TJ Hooper, Jessie Hooper, and Vance James. Her honorary pallbearers include Neville Meashintubby and Archie Meashintubby. Her family will receive visitors on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 beginning at 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Agent Cemetery in Moody, OK. Online condolences for her family may be left at www.reedculver.com.