Lois Jean Leabo was born October 14, 1932 to Raymond and Mava Belle Leabo on a farm southeast of Enid, Oklahoma. The family soon moved to Enid where Lois spent all of her school years, graduating from Enid High School in 1950.
During her Junior and Senior years at Enid High School, Lois was the Drum Major of the Enid Legionettes Drum and Bugle Corp. During high school, Lois met Billy Richard “Bill” Goetzinger at the local roller rink (impressed with his ability to skate backwards), and they soon became high school sweethearts. On August 17, 1951, they married at the First Baptist Church in Enid. With the little money they had and Bill’s carpentry skills, they themselves built their first home.
After marrying, Bill attended Phillips University and later medical school at the University of Oklahoma, supported in large part by Lois’ hard work as an administrative assistant at an oil company and her running the Goetzinger family’s fire work stands in the summers. After medical school, Bill was inducted into the military, stationed in Aurora, Colorado. There, their first child, Carla Jane, was born. After Bill’s discharge, the family moved to Oklahoma City, where their second child, Layne Evan, was born. Lois and Bill recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary.
For many decades, Lois and her family were involved in the Quail Springs Baptist Church, where Lois enjoyed playing in the bell choir. She also enjoyed playing the piano and creating beautiful needlepoint pieces. She was an avid OU football fan, never missing a home game or an OU-Texas game when she was able to attend, typically donning her bright red fur coat, her OU purse, and her “Go OU” foam finger.
Best known as “Granny L,” Lois was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and recently great grandmother. She is survived by her daughter Carla Sharpe and her family: husband G. Calvin Sharpe; their son, Aaron Sharpe; and their daughter, Anden Bull, her husband Brandon Bull, and their son Hudson James Bull, now eight months old. She is also survived by her son, Dr. Layne Evan Goetzinger, his daughter, Kennedy Goetzinger, and his son, Jackson Goetzinger. Nothing made Lois happier than spending time with Anden, Aaron, Kennedy, Jackson, and baby Hudson.
Lois also leaves behind her husband Bill, her beloved sister, Dorothy Little, numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and special friends.
In particular, the family thanks Dorothy Boyer’s daughter-in-law, Marcia Boyer, for ensuring that Dorothy could spend time with Lois during her final months and Lois’s dear friend Sylvia Shirley for her support of Lois and the family.
The family extends its heartfelt and immeasurable thanks to the Oklahoma Heart Hospital’s Dr. Pamela Craven, Dr. Eva Sawheny, Williams Fuchs, APRN-CNP, and the team of nurses and staff who lovingly cared for Lois over the last year.
Lois was sassy and classy, spunky and sparkly, and will be greatly missed.
