Dana McDade

Dana was born in Watonga, OK on June 10th, 1947 to Bethena and Dan Crider. As a child she lived in Watonga, Mountain View and Weatherford. She graduated from Weatherford High School in 1965. And then moved to Norman with her mother and sister. She attended the University of Oklahoma where she met her husband of 48 years Larry McDade. They were married on her birthday because dates always played a significant role in many aspects of her life. Soon after their daughter Kim was born.

Dana worked at Dale’s Office Supply in the early 1970’s and then opened her own business “Dana’s Answering Service” doing something she loved to do…talking with other people. Her personality was a ray of sunshine to anyone that encountered her on the telephone. She then worked for Norman Public Schools at both Monroe Elementary and McKinley elementary as a teacher’s aide in the Developmentally Delayed classes where she was a caregiver and teacher to many children who knew her as “Ms. Dana.” She also worked for Primrose Funeral Home in the evenings helping families during their time of loss.

Many have best described her personality as “always the happiest person to be around, light-hearted, and able to laugh at anything. Dana was a loving, caring and selfless person, a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother, and as someone that put others’ needs above her own. However Dana was passionate about her beliefs almost sometimes to the point of arguing with you.

She was always known for remembering significant dates in family and friends’ lives and was often the one everyone called to find out someone’s birthday or anniversary. Always accepting of others’ as family, many of Kim’s friends considered her their second mom.

She helped raise her grandson Haydn and then retired early to help take care of her other grandson Bryce.

Dana attended both First Baptist Church and McFarlin Methodist Church .

She is preceded in death by: her parents Bethena and Dan Crider and her in-laws Aggie and Bryce McDade.

She leaves behind: Her husband Larry , daughter Kim Torres and husband Rick, sister Debbie Pittman and husband Bud, sister in law Carol McDade Conley and husband Phil. Grandchildren Haydn McDade, Bryce Torres, Lionel Torres, Ricky Torres, Natalie Torres, Bella Torres , Olivia Torres, Niece Darci Potts and husband Mike, Nephew Jason Conley and wife Jen, and their children Trent and Mallory. Kim’s friends, Dana’s second daughters/son Laurie Conaway, Patty Wilkerson and Dottie Blunck Johnson and Jacob Moore and many extended family and friends.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Crossroads Hospice for their love and care.

Services are Saturday, March 7th, 2015 at 2pm at Primrose Funeral Home with Jim Stewart officiating.

Friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of life Saturday after the services at 200 SE 19th St. in Moore, OK.