Naomi Sue Dabbs
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Naomi Sue Dabbs passed peacefully with her loving family by her side on March 30, 2017. She was born on October 22, 1924 in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Naomi was the third of eight children from the union of John Okley and Grace Iva Money.
Raised in the hard life and times of the pre and post depression era, Naomi worked behind plow horses and picked crops by hand in the fields. This work ethic, self-sufficiency and determination would carry her through the rest of her life.
In 1940 Naomi married Hobert Harding, from this union which lasted twenty years, they have five children. In 1952 the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri.
Eventually Naomi joined the work force as an order processor at Avon Products in Kansas City, where she worked for 20 years to support the family. She was known for her hard work and dedication. Naomi helped unionize the facility and become a union steward by popular demand. She represented her local in New York City at a collective bargaining meeting. She was very proud of this accomplishment, in spite of having an eighth grade education.
She married Gene Dabbs in 1969. Naomi and Gene were inseparable. Both originating from the country, they enjoyed their small farm life. They had a few head of cattle, horses, a couple of pigs, and a large garden. For recreation, they loved to fish, play cards and travel the country in their RV. They liked to tease and play practical jokes on one another. They were truly soul mates. Their home was always open to family and friends. After Gene passed in 1991, Naomi continued to live on her own until the age of 90, when she sold her home and also gave up her car – even though she said she could drive better than she could walk..
Naomi loved her family dearly and always cherished the times they were together. Her home was always filled with the smell of good food, the sounds of laughter and the warmth of love.
What Naomi was most proud of in her life were her children. The two most heartbreaking times in her life were losing her daughter, Wanda, in 2003 and losing her son, Hobbie, earlier this year. Even in her passing her final words were the names of her children.
She was preceded in death by husband Gene Dabbs, her daughter Wanda Harding Hercules, her son Hobert Harding Jr., her son-in-laws Hosea Waldon and Kenneth King, her parents John Okley and Grace Money, her sisters Geneva Ivie and Ineta Tabbs, and her brother J.O. Money.
She is survived by daughters Ruth Waldon and Deborah King, son Randy Harding and wife Dee, daughter-in-law Cherlyn Harding, sisters Nola Guynn and Betty Ralston, brothers Dale and Jerry Money, seven grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
There will be a visitation from 12-1 PM, Monday, April 3, 2017 at Heartland Cremation & Burial Society, 6113 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, MO 64133. Graveside services will be held after the visitation on Monday, at 2:30 PM in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler, MO
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Visits: 1
My love and prayers go out to the children, grandchildren and great grandchlidren of your Mother, grandmother, great grandmother and het entire family and many friends May God bless you all in your time of grief.
My Mother lived at Rosewood Nursing Home for the last seven months of her life. It was a difficult move at first, but she soon made friends with her “table mates” and enjoyed her meal time socializing. ( An aide once told me that she and Marge would giggle like school girls.)
She lost her son, Hobbie, in January, after which her health sharply declined. But you could ask her how she was feeling and she would say, “As fine as frog hair split 3 ways”….not sure that was always true. Hospice shared in her care starting in March, yet Mother retained her sense of humor. She would surprise us at times with a wry remark and you could still see that twinkle in her eye. Not too long ago, her hospice nurse was visiting and told her she was going to call me later that day. The nurse asked her if there was any message she wanted to give me. Mother said, “Tell her she’s lucky”. I guess she meant I was lucky to have her as my Mother!
We were still dealing with the loss of our brother when Mother passed. She had already lost one child and I don’t think she was able to accept losing another. Mother had always been a strong woman though….raising 5 children basically on her own. As difficult as our childhoods might have been, Mother was there providing us with a stable home filled with her love, also setting an example with her integrity and self reliance.
We will always miss our sweet brother and dear mother….they will always be loved and forever in our hearts.