Althea Mae Stidham

Althea Mae (Tacker) Stidham, of Shawnee, OK passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loving family on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at the age of 91.

Services will be 4:00 P.M. Friday, February 3, 2023 at Walker Funeral Chapel with Rev. Phil Thompson officiating.  Burial will be at Johnson Cemetery on Saturday at 10:00 A.M. under the direction of Walker Funeral and Cremation Service.

On December 24, 1931, Althea was the sixth child of nine born to Carter James and Letha Maple (Melott) Tacker.  She attended Tecumseh High School and graduated in the class of 1949. She worked for Kress & Company on Saturdays during her senior year of high school and began work as a laboratory and X-Ray technician for ACH Hospital immediately following graduation, due to her science grades. She continued working there, until 1959.  She met Lynval Tague in Shawnee and they were married April 15, 1950 through 1963.  Three children were born to this union.  Around 1960, she joined the Civil Service at the Indian Health Hospital, south of Shawnee. In 1964, Althea transferred to the Indian Health Hospital in Pawnee, OK where she worked until January of 1974. Transferring to Tishomingo Indian Health Clinic until her retirement in 1984.  She married her loving husband Alva L. Stidham on February 5, 1966 in Pawnee, Oklahoma and lived with much joy and laughter until his death in October 1992.

We could list her accomplishments, but there are far too many.  She embraced every person she met with kindness and love.  She enjoyed reading, socializing, gardening, and cooking & baking for groups of family, friends, and church family.  She made handcrafted cards for all her grandchildren for every major and minor holiday for decades.  A nurturing mother, an angel of a grandmother, and a perfect companion to those around her, her passion for a happy life allowed her to mentor each individual she met.  She brought life and love into every situation.  Althea loved to travel, covering all 50 states of the USA and many international destinations throughout her life.

She is preceded in death by her first husband and father of her children Lynval Tague, doting husband Alva L Stidham; her parents Letha Maple and Carter James; her siblings Maple Irene, Vivian Marie, Carter James, Jr., Vera Theresa, Norma Faye, and Patsy Darlene.

She is survived by her companion Joe Dill; her sister Nancy Starr of Oklahoma City, OK, brother John & Suzanne Tacker of Lockwood, MO; her three children Marilyn Tague of Springdale, Arkansas, Joe and Barbara Tague of Redmond, Oregon, Michael and Sandra Tague of Greenland, New Hampshire; her grandchildren Jeff and Cassy Hopper, Joel and Teresa Hopper, Mychal and Dustin Honeysuckle, Daniel and Carmen Tague, Ryan and Kayla Tague, Lizzie Tague, and Natalie Tague; and many great-grandchildren; all of whom love and will miss her dearly.

“Althea has many loved ones waiting with open arms to greet her“