Pamela Sue Cavaness

To Pamela “Pam” Sue Cavaness, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To most people around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Pam, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions

Pam was born on January 8, 1953 by midwife at home in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Her parents were Bill and Betty Cavaness. Pam was raised in Shawnee and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Even as a child, Pam had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Pam was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Pam managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Pam was raised with two siblings. She had one younger brother, Jere, and a younger sister, Lynda.

All of Pam's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Pam experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She enjoyed swimming and loved skating at the Comet Skating Rink. Pam loved to dance and taught the neighborhood kids the latest steps. She was a Camp Fire Girl. In her spare time she liked to make scrapbooks and made picture albums with the "Beatles" trading cards. She loved music and enjoyed listening to the radio. Pam collected 45s in the 1960s. Pam participated in an all-night roller skating marathon at the Comet Skating Club - without her parent’s knowledge, of course.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Pam was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Pam simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. Pam enjoyed school and excelled in many subjects. Pam graduated from Putnam City High School in 1971. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was Physical Education and Algebra. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Ivine Paris,

Phys. Ed. teacher, who let Pam and her classmates hang out in her office. Pam loved to sew and participated in a fashion show at the YMCA Ione Branch.

Pam reveled in her college years, where her imagination could run free. She was viewed by many of her classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Pam was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. She was a jovial person who loved to share her passion for fun with others. But for Pam, life was not a case of all play and no work. Pam relished the task of putting her imagination to work in class. She was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Oklahoma State University. Her favorite courses were her child development classes. Her favorite professor was Dr. Kaiser who was her sociology professor. Pam enjoyed mentoring to children and adolescents during college.

Pam never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Pam to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Pam delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she enjoyed meeting new people. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Pam was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Pam utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Vicki Ashton, Debbie Blehm, Therese Giger, Janet Fiscus, Barbara Manard, Judy Tolar, Betty Alter and Larri Fancher. Later in life, she became friends with Jennifer Zimmerman, Sherry Alfred, Liz Wilkes, Paula Norwood, Becky Adams and many more. Pamela loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Pam very easy to approach. Her first husband was Gaylon Pinc. They were married October 12, 1973 at the Putnam City United Methodist Church. Her second marriage was on February 14, 1987 to Michael Plott in Oklahoma City. Pam's third husband was Mike Harrah, who she married at the Waterford on January 19, 1996. She always cared deeply about her relationships. Family was very important to Pam and she was sensitive to other people’s feelings. That was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Pam related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Pam was blessed with one daughter, Gina Buendia, step-son, Joshua Plott, who preceded her in death, one step-daughter, Jennifer Harrah, and a step-son, Blake Harrah. She was also blessed with one granddaughter, Madaline Buendia. Pam had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Pam’s compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Pam had a knack for turning some of those mean old chores into games. It gave Pam great joy caring for her granddaughter, Madaline

At work, as in life, Pam was a real “people person.” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Pam liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Pam was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Pam’s talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Pam as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was as a loan officer. She was employed by American Airlines then later as a legal secretary. She then entered the banking/finance industry where she worked for 16 years. Later she worked in a call center assisting construction companies to prevent accidents.

Pam enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Pamela liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were cooking, gardening, reading and writing. She also enjoyed fashion, artwork, music and the theater. She loved playing games and did calligraphy in her spare time. Pam was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others. Her latest hobby was babysitting her granddaughter, Madaline.

Pam felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Pam loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Pam relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Pam never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, loved physical education classes, especially gymnastics. In her college years, Pam continued to stay active by bicycling to her classes. She also participated in archery and riflery. Recreational sports included aerobics/jazzercise and dancing.

Pam had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Pam’s service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. In high school, Pamela was a member of Key Club. Throughout her later years, Pamela was an active member of the Zoo Friends with the Oklahoma City Zoo and various women’s organizations.

A generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, Pam often found herself involved in activities she deemed important. She was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. She had great passion for the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter. Outspoken in her beliefs, yet tactful in her dealings with others, Pamela was a member of several community groups, serving on committees for the Zoo Friends and others. Politically, Pam was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Pam recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member at Church of the Servant. During that time, she was a greeter. She always relied on her faith to get her through tough times, especially near the end of her life.

Living life in the fast lane suited Pam just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Barbados, Aruba, Colorado Springs, San Antonio and Florida. One of her favorite things to do was to take mother-daughter vacations with her daughter, Gina.

Pam was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Pam's favorites was Phoebe, a Cairn terrier. Phoebe became one of her best friends. Additionally, her family was rounded out by her Schipperkes, Jasper and Max.

Pam believed that it was important to experience life. She tried to look at the positive side of things even when times were tough. Despite any hardships that she experienced, she remained hopeful. She was a kind and loving individual to all that knew her.

Pam passed away on August 14, 2010 at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is survived by daughter, Gina Buendia and her husband, Joseph; step-daughter, Jennifer Harrah; step-son, Blake Harrah; father, William J. Cavaness; brother, Jere Cavaness; sister, Lynda Frizzell and her husband, Alan; granddaughter, Madaline Buendia. Services were held at Guardian West Funeral Home chapel. Pam was laid to rest in Rose Hill Burial Park Woodsbrook Cremation Garden in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Pam brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved life and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Pamela Sue Cavaness lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile, loved and missed forever.