Rhonda Gayle Harjo

Rhonda was born in Alameda, California on February 8, 1950 to Chester and Loretta Watts. The family moved to Amarillo, Texas in 1957 and Rhonda attended Palo Duro High School. She married Rick Purdy and they had a daughter, Tracey. In 1970, Rhonda and Tracey moved to Oklahoma City and Rhonda took a job working for the Stockyards Bank. She later worked for TG&Y in their corporate offices as the assistant supervisor in the mail room. In 1976, Rhonda reconnected with a family friend, David Gene Harjo and they married on November 23, 1977. David was the love of her life and he thought she had hung the moon. They made their home in Wewoka, Oklahoma, where Rhonda became a full-time domestic engineer. They lived on a farm, along with Tracey, and enjoyed riding horses, walks in the rain, and fishing in the lake. After Tracey left for college, David and Rhonda relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico and took advantage of the many things to see and do while there. In 1988, they moved to Norman, Oklahoma where they stayed until the fall of 2018.

She loved to sew in her younger years, read voraciously, collected teapots and shoes and had probably seen every classic movie ever made at least 5 times each. She loved to travel and she and David Gene had traveled to many places in the United States. Some of Rhonda’s most favorite places were Myrtle Beach, Savannah and historical places such as Williamsburg, Mt Vernon and Arlington.

Rhonda is preceded in death by her husband, David Gene Harjo of Norman (04/29/2019); her mother, Loretta Watts of Norman; and her in-laws, David “Chief” and Marie Harjo of Wetumka.

Rhonda is survived by her dad, Chester Watts of Norman; her daughter Tracey and son-in-law, Patrick Garrett of Edmond; three grandchildren, Jordan (26), Spencer (21) and Peyton (17), all of Edmond.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 with a viewing at 10:00 am at Blue Lakes Baptist Church, Norman, Oklahoma with interment to follow at Pryor Cemetery in Stuart, Oklahoma at 3:45 pm. Pallbearers are her cousins, Brad Burks, Brent Burks, Blake Burks, Charlie Burns, Mike Coburn, Rick Laminack, Nathan Meaders, Wade Meaders, Brett Watts and Larry Watts.

Funeral Services provided by Baggerley Funeral Home, Edmond, Oklahoma and a special thank you to Pastor Martin Gossett for officiating the service and the members of Blues Lakes Baptist Church for providing lunch.

The family wants to send their sincere appreciation for the overwhelming love, support, and prayers. We are truly humbled and blessed.