Rufina Crittenden

Rufina Crittenden Andrade-Medina was born on November 16, 1950 in Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico, the daughter of Alejandro and Guadalupe Andrade. She was raised with four brothers and three sisters, Lupe Andrade, Amador Andrade, Maria Ayala, Rosa Skinner, Alex Andrade, Jose Luis Andrade, and Enedina Copeland. After attending school, she moved to California where she worked at a pharmaceutical factory and also at a floral décor shop. While working at the factory she met and married the love of her life, Charley Crittenden in Long Beach, CA on July 14, 1974. Together they would raise their family of six daughters and four sons, Christopher, Cherokee, Charles, Rufina Maria, Billy Joe, Jonathan, Tessa, Nayeli, Mia and Sofia. Rufina was a dedicated daughter, wife, mother, abuela, aunt, and friend. There was nothing more important to her than fixing meals, attending her kids school activities, and was affectionately called the PTA Queen. She had long ago mastered the “Mom Stare” which kept even the most rambunctious child in line. She was always in the kitchen making her “famous” rice and beans, all the grandkids favorite enchiladas and pozole. She was always open to eating breakfast out at Jimmy’s Egg or Braums after dropping the kids off at school; which no matter where they decided to venture everyone always knew Rufina and Charley would be together hand in hand, expressing their true love and devotion. When she had a little free time, which wasn’t often, she loved to dance with Charley, especially to some cumbias. She enjoyed time at home catching up on her favorite “Novelas”. Rufina loved listening to music, and often did so while moving her furniture around, cleaning house, and hanging her various mirrors around the house. She liked to go shopping and was always looking for a bargain or a new piece of jewelry. Her grandchildren were perfect in every way and she couldn’t wait to spend time with them, but always reminding them that if you “play, you pay” and “no secrets” because there was always a surprise of some kind for them from “wuela-wuela”.

She was a Christian of the Catholic faith and was a long standing member of St. Brigid Catholic church in Tahlequah. You would often see her and Charley walking up the walk, Rufina with her signature smile and sparkling eyes, greeting everyone as they came in the door. She was as beautiful on the outside as the inside. She always spoke to everyone, and always took time to catch up on the latest. The Lord called this wonderful wife, mother, and abuela home from her many labors on July 20, 2021. Rufina was 70 years old and filled with so much love for her family. She will be greatly missed.

Rufina is preceded in death by her grandparents, Miguel Andrade and wife Rosario Flores and Valeriano Medina and his wife Alejandra Carrizales, her father Alejandro Andrade and mother Guadalupe Andrade-Medina, three brothers, Lupe, Amador, and Jose Luis, her daughter-in-law, Stephanie Williams-Crittenden, one brother-in-law, James Skinner, and one grandson, Charles Brian Crittenden Jr. (Gigo).

Those left to celebrate Rufina’s life include her beloved husband of 47 years, Charley Crittenden of the home and her adored children, Christopher Crittenden of Tahlequah, Cherokee Crittenden and Stephen Lowe of Tahlequah, Charles Brian Crittenden of Tahlequah, Rufina Maria Crittenden-Robles and husband Eddie of Tahlequah, Billy Joe Crittenden of Tahlequah, Jonathan Lee Crittenden and wife Susan of Tahlequah, Tessa Alejandra Rodriguez and husband Reyes of Tahlequah, Nayeli Guadalupe Crittenden of Tahlequah, Mia Rosalee Crittenden of Tahlequah and Sofia Lizette Crittenden of Tahlequah, OK. She will live on in her grandchildren, Natasha Lee Crittenden, Charley Quintil Crittenden-Garay, Alexis Guadalupe Crittenden-Garay, Everett Bear Farris, Victoria Anayei Robles, Ediana Rubi Robles, Aleaha Tatiana Robles, Sasha Elizabeth Crittenden, Trisha Lynell Crittenden, Zane Ray Crittenden, Leslie Jaree Brook-Hall, Shaylynn Benet Cassie Hall, Leonardo Arturo Rodriguez, Ezra Antonio Rodriguez, and Liliana Everly Rodriguez, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.

The Mass Of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Rufina Crittenden on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at 10:00 AM at St. Brigid Catholic Church with Father Jeff Polasek officiating. Pallbearers for Rufina include her sons, Christopher Crittenden, Charles Crittenden, Billy Crittenden, and Jonathan Crittenden, grandsons Everett Bear Farris and Charley Crittenden-Garay, son-in-law Eddie Robles. Honorary pallbearers include son-in-law Reyes Rodriguez and Stephen Lowe. The family will receive visitors at Reed-Culver Funeral Home on Monday, July 26, 2021 beginning at 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM , with her Rosary Service being recited beginning at 7:00 PM at Reed-Culver Chapel. She will be laid to rest at Ft. Gibson National Cemetery at Noon. Online condolences for her family may be left at www.reedculver.com.