Yevonne Marie Shadid Homsey was born the youngest child of H.S. and Alexandra Shadid on July 19, 1935. She went to be with her Lord and Savior on January 5, 2019 after an all too short but courageous fight against pancreatic cancer. She was a lifelong resident of Oklahoma City. She was educated in the Oklahoma City school system. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Oklahoma City University, and she taught at Britton and Burbank Elementary Schools.
She married Harry Richard Homsey on October 24, 1959, and they were together for 48 years until the time of his death. From that union they had five children and 16 grandchildren. Most recently, she became a great grandmother of three great grandsons.
While in Middle School at the age of 12, she began a pen-pal relationship with Maureen Swift from Plymouth, England. This friendship grew over the years, and they were able to visit each other three times. They called each other sisters, never failing to write to each other every month since they began.
She was a devoted Orthodox Christian and a lifelong member of St. Elijah Orthodox Christian Church. She was a choir member, a Sunday School teacher for many years, a member of the youth group in her early years, and a member of the Ladies Aid Society. One of her greatest pleasures was donating Sweet Basil for the Elevation of the Cross. She baked Holy Bread for the Holy Communion every Sunday. Another of her greatest pleasures was helping teach the children at Vacation Bible School how to bake Holy Bread. And every year for the St. Elijah Bake Sale Festival she was proud to donate over 200 pounds of her famous Yevonne’s Peanut Brittle.
She was a member of the Double Talk Mothers of Twins Club and was a spokesperson for the Twin Club Style Shows. The organization, along with helping mothers of twins, granted scholarships to deserving twins and triplets. She was also a member of the Mothers of Twins Luncheon Group since 1970.
She was affiliated with the Oklahoma City Public Schools as President of the Nichols Hills PTA and served on the City-Wide Board of PTA. She was active in the Helping Hands Program and taught remedial reading at Nichols Hills and Christ the King Schools.
She was a member of the Bonne Heure Club, a woman’s organization devoted to charitable enterprises and social activities. As a devoted member, she was the first member to serve as president twice.
Following her husband’s retirement, together they grew and managed HYH Property Company. For the past eight years, she has been a volunteer at the Integris Baptist Hospital Gift Store and served on the board for over three years. Because of her dedication and relationship with Integris, the hospital chose her as the spotlight of a lifelong example of dedication to the hospital in the Heritage Room.
Above all else, she was the most devoted daughter, sister, wife, aunt, Sitty (grandmother), and the best mom to her five children, their spouses and friends, and numerous special adopted children.
She was preceded in death by her husband Harry Richard Homsey; her parents H.S. and Alexandra Shadid; her brother and sisters A. Phil Shadid, Amy and husband Ed Massad, Sameera Cohlmia; her brothers and sisters in law Joe and Josephine Homsey, Sam and Margaret Homsey, Benny and Dolores Homsey, Paul and Bernice Homsey, Richard Naifeh, and Chuck David; and nieces Connie Naifeh and Lana Cohlmia.
She is survived by her five children Harvey Homsey and wife Debbie, Toni Burch, Tina and husband Todd Lewis, Annette and husband Harry Trey Kouri, III, and Nanette and husband Craig Abraham; her 16 grandchildren Harry Taylor Homsey and wife Grace, Natalie and husband Kyle Bieschke, Melissa Homsey, Zach Homsey, Brett Burch and wife Morgan, Sarah and husband Zac Farris, Anna Burch, Ryan Lewis and wife Lauren, Lauren Lewis, Rachel Lewis, Erika Kouri and fiancé Dr. Paul Shadid, Jr., Harry Jake Kouri, IV, Amanda Kouri, Kelsey Abraham and fiancé Luke Abrusley, Andrew Abraham, and Abby Abraham; and great grandsons Finn Farris, Harrison Homsey, and Graham Burch. She is also survived by her brother, sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law: Katherine Shadid, Sam and Nadia Shadid, Dr. Ray Cohlmia, Imogene Naifeh, Blanche David; and her wonderful nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the amazing doctors, nurses, and hospice team of Integris Baptist Hospital and the home help caregivers who all together made the last three weeks of her life so special, caring, and loving.
Visitation will be held at St. Elijah Orthodox Christian Church on Monday, January 7, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 10:30 at St. Elijah Orthodox Christian Church. Interment will be at Rose Hill.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Elijah Orthodox Christian Church Flowers That Do Not Wither Fund or a charity of your choice.
