Bessie Hambright - Drake

Bessie Lee (Hambright) Drake was born October 16, 1940, in Grand Junction, Colorado to Henry George Ratliff and Ruth Ellen (Sowers)Ratliff.  She spent her younger years in Colorado, California, and Arizona, before settling in Oklahoma.   Bessie attended Ralston Public Schools for most of her primary years, and graduated 8^th grade at Desert School in Arizona.  She attended Shidler High School for 9^th and 10^th grade, while finishing her education in home courses.  Bessie was a very hard worker early on in her life working in the orchards and cotton fields as a young girl.  Bessie had four children and helped raise a stepdaughter, so she was a busy homemaker for many years raising her family, often times taking on extra work cleaning houses, ironing, and yard work.  Bessie has worked as a waitress, cook, and cleaning for a college and nursing home, and also sold Tupperware.  She also loved to sew, her and her Mother Ruth made and sold Raggedy Ann and Andy Dolls and gave countless away to many family members!  Her and her daughter Brenda worked together, forming White Glove Cleaning Service, taking care of many homes and businesses in the Bartlesville, Oklahoma area.  Bessie was a faithful member of the Ralston General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn.   She loved the Lord and her church family and was faithful to follow her heart wherever God would lead.  Over the years she would travel many miles to attend meetings with the brethren in Oklahoma.

She also loved to sing and read her bible, often ending her day by listening to the bible on her cassette tapes!  She loved cooking and baking for the family, some of our favorites were her famous fried potatoes, pancakes, doughnuts, and her chocolate mayonnaise cake!  She also enjoyed reading and quilting.  As time passed, she made countless beautiful quilts for her children and grandchildren, expressing her love to them in every stitch!  One of her favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:12-13 which reads: “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things, I have learned to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  These words are so true as Bessie has experienced many things in her life with many ups and downs, but God was always there to see her through as promised!  She has always been a humble person, not too fancy, no she didn’t require roses, but just a simple dandelion would do!  She could always find beauty in all her surroundings, and especially in all her family and friends so dear to her.

Bessie Lee Drake passed from this life on Wednesday May 29, 2024, at the Cleveland Manor Nursing Home with her family by her side.

She is survived by her children Joe (Pam) Hambright Jr., Brenda Fredrickson, Rickey Jones, one stepdaughter, Tammy Foninot; one brother Ray Ratliff, and one sister Georgia Sayers. Grandchildren:  Branden (Ashley) Scott (Ashley) Hambright, Nick (Mandi) Bailey, Brandi Harris, Tommy and Justin Hambright, Tonya (Jeremy) Luttrell, Astrid (Josh) Fike, Ryan Jones, and Bobby (Kayo) Jones.  Great Grandchildren:  Tessa (Harlan) Roberts, Conner and Teagen Hambright, Talan and Ramsey Hambright, Alec, Cade, Colt, Kila, and Lane Bailey. Isabella, Alexander, and Gabriel Luttrell.  Jathan, Lilian and Madlin Hambright, Sariah Fike, Tommy, Adrean, Jacob, and Kelsie Jones.   Jason, Bryson, Skyler, and Eleanor Jones; one great great granddaughter Raini Roberts.She is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents Henry and Ruth Ratliff, her first husband and love of her life, Oscar Joe Hambright Sr. Her siblings Beulah May Hickman, Mable Ellen Ratliff, Wilma Geanie Davis, Peggy Annabelle Baker, one son Tommy Ray Hambright, and one great grandson Justin Jones.