Fannie Kerkhoff

Fannie was born on June 2, 1935, In Butler, Oklahoma the daughter of the late Frank and Willa Shively. She was the youngest of four siblings.

On November 13, 1954, Fannie married her best friend, and love of her life, Robert Kerkhoff. Shortly after marrying, Bob went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. For many years, Fannie was a stay at home mother. Bob’s work transferred him often, as he moved up the company ladder, so Fannie’s job was often to pack up the house, move, and make a home in a new town. While living in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Fannie became an avid Bridge player, and continued playing recreationally for the remainder of her life. In 1969, Bob made his final transfer to Oklahoma City. With their three children all in school by then, Fannie took a job with the Putnam City School District. When Bob retired, he and Fannie bought a fifth wheel, and loved to travel, camp, and fish. They frequently met up with the Southwestern Bell Pioneers “Sooner Shooners” for big camp rallies. When Fannie was home, she donated her time to charities, knitting newborn caps and sewing receiving blankets for the Infants Crisis Center, the organization closest to her heart. Fannie was a woman of many talents. She loved to sew, quilt, paint, do arts and crafts, and catch bigger fish than Bob.

Fannie is survived by her husband, Robert, and son, Michael, of the home; daughter Ramona Crum of Las Vegas, Nevada; grandson David Crum of Tulsa, Oklahoma, granddaughter, Erin Kirker of Long Beach, Washington; and great-grandsons and great-granddaughters, to whom Fannie is affectionately known as “Nini”. Fannie was preceded in death by their son. Robert Jr; sister, Flo Gaddis; brother, Richard Shively, and parents, Frank and Willa Shively.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to Fannie’s favorite charity, the Infants Crisis Center, Infantcrisis.org(click donate).