Esther "Happy" Mae Monholland

Funeral services for Esther Mae Lawley Monholland will be held on Monday, May 14th, 2018, at 2:00 pm at the First Apostolic Church of Welling with Pastor Dave Ketcher and Pastor Don Martin officiating. Her visitation will be held on Sunday, May 13th, 2018, beginning at 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm at Reed-Culver Chapel. She will be laid to rest next to her husband Louie Monholland at Tahlequah City Cemetery. Online condolences for her family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Esther Mae Lawley Monholland, or “Happy” to her many friends and family, was born on May 15th, 1930, in Skiatook, OK, the daughter of Thomas Madden and Omie Margaret (Breshears) Lawley. She grew up with her brother Samuel and sisters, Opal and Mary. She attended school graduating from Tahlequah High School. She married the love of her life and her best friend, Louie Clarence Monholland on July 23rd, 1948, in Tahlequah, OK. Together they raised three children, Sharon, Jimmy and Denise, and shared 60 years of life, love and laughter until Louie’s passing in 2008. Happy was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was a devout Christian and faithfully attended First Apostolic Church of Welling. She never tired of serving her Lord and therefore was very involved in her church. Whether it was singing his praises or gathering to make peanut brittle - Happy was there, displaying her servants heart. She read her Bible faithfully and also enjoyed reading Christian novels. She was a talented seamstress, and could sew and crochet anything she put her mind to. She could look over a garment, then go home and make a pattern and create the garment. She raised beautiful vegetable and flower gardens, canning her produce to make her famous home cooked meals. She was always ready to feed her family and friends her beans and cornbread, fried squash, okra and the best homemade pickles ever. Her pies and cakes were perfection, as were her holiday dinners. She was always ready to celebrate the Christmas season decorating, making homemade delicacies, like fudge and Aunt Bills Brown Candy, a family tradition. Family was first in Happy’s home. She loved her children and adored her grandchildren, often threatening them with the spankings she never gave. She was ”Nanny“ to her family and ”Granny” to her church family, and loved by all who knew this woman with the bright smile and the loving heart she shared with all those around her. She was kind, considerate, giving and loyal, with the ability to make you smile. The Lord called this good and faithful servant home from her many labors on Friday, May 11th, 2018, at her home surrounded by the family she loved so very much in life. Esther was 87 years old. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her mother, father, husband Louie in 2008, her son, James Thomas Monholland, her son-in-law, Orvel Reeves, her sisters, Opal Reinhart and Mary Dunn, and her brother, Samuel Lawley.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters, Sharon Reeves of Tahlequah, OK, and Denise Holt and her husband Bob Holt Sr. of Sand Springs, OK. Esther lives on in her ten grandchildren, James Monholland Jr. and wife Patty, Casey Monholland, Bob Holt Jr. and wife Candace, William “Billy” Monholland and wife Bridget, Stephen Ward, Dustin Holt, Jennifer Ward, David Ward and wife Carrie, Amanda “Mandy” Johnson and husband Kyle, Joshua Monholland and 18 beloved great grandchildren; the most recent addition being Josie Mae Ward, her namesake. She also leaves a special sister-in-law, Betty Jo Lawley of Sand Springs, her long time high school friend, Laverne Faddis, her church family, nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends, including her special caretakers, Angela and David Manes and Barbara Walker.

Pallbearers for Esther include granddaughter Mandy Johnson, and grandsons, James Monholland Jr., Casey Monholland, Bob Holt, Jr., Billy Monholland, Stephen Ward, Dustin Holt, David Ward, Kyle Johnson and Clinton Holt Jr.

Her Honorary pallbearers include David Manes and all of her great grandsons.