Kate Mildred Tuggle

Born: January 3, 1926

Rested : November 4, 2017

Kate Mildred Daily Tuggle, was born on January 3, 1926 to Roosevelt (Antwine/Jack) Daily and Myra Dell Gordon in Eufaula, Oklahoma.

She became the eldest of her 13 siblings after the stillborn death of a baby brother prior to her birth.

Unfortunately, because of vaccines for childhood diseases being rare at that time and for "Negroes" being even rarer; her mother lost 7 of her 13 children in infancy and early child hood.

Her Siblings are: (deceased) Rudolph, Cecil Jack, (deceased) Eugene, (deceased) Charles Kenneth (Keith), Frankie, (deceased) William, Leon, (deceased) Catherine, (deceased) Betty, Stillborn Baby Boy, and (deceased) Donald.

At the tender age of 4 the Daily family moved from Eufaula, Oklahoma to Chanute, Kansas.Then at the age of 8, the Daily family moved from Chanute, Kansas to another little city 10 miles away called Humboldt, Kansas. It is in Humboldt, Kansas that she met the Franklin/Wood (Billie Woods' Family) At the age of 12 the Daily family moved from Chanute, Kansas to Independence, Kansas. She would live in Independence until she finished high school and made her move with her father to the Pacific Northwest.

It is at the age of 18, Mildred moved from Independence, Kansas to Van Port in Vancouver, Washington, with her father where she worked in the Kaiser Shipyard in the cafeteria (during WWII). Her father later found employment in Bremerton, Washington at the shipyards there. He wanted his family to move out to the Pacific Northwest, but his wife (Mildred's Mother) wanted to stay near her mother and so the rest of family did not move out West.

It is when Mildred moved to Seattle, Washington after her father left for home that a few years later she met and married Reuben Charles Tuggle. To this union were adopted (deceased) Jerauld Arnold Tuggle and Thomas Mark Tuggle. Joyce Matthews was taken on as her adopted daughter years later.

Mildred came from a family of extremely talented people and the gift given to her was the gift of music. From her earliest she would recall listening to her uncles after a hard days work in the field, gathering together on the back porch to sing Negro Spirituals in 9-10 part harmony. Her paternal grandmother Lorene Daily was an operatic singer that never had a voice lesson and when she would go to town, they would stop her in the middle of town and ask her to sing. She was a musician extraordinaire and leaves a rich legacy of music to follow her. She sang her first solo at 3 years old and her song was, "Little Fly Up On The Wall."

In 1971 Mildred was asked to be the director of a church choir that would go to become Les Chanticleers. She was the director for 40+ years. Under her direction Les Chanticleers was blessed to be able to go far and wide in the United States and Jamaica. She wrote a song for the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That was accepted by Coretta Scott King and became a part of Dr. King's Estate.

In total Mildred wrote 6 songs and arranged many others.

Mildred loved Jesus who she said was her "Best Friend" because He came personally and "found" her.

She leaves to mourn her passing:

Brother Cecil Jack Daily, Sister Frankie Ballard, Brother Leon Daily, Sons (deceased) Jerauld Tuggle, Thomas Tuggle, Cornelius Spears and Matthew Carson, Daughters, Joyce Matthews and Pattric (Noel) Parris, Sister-In-Law Joyce (Jim) Washington Buford, Niece Tracey Daily, Nephew Tobin Daily, Niece Julie Ballard, Nephew Anthony (Breeanna) Thomas, Niece Keisha Thomas Nephews Bobby, Donald and Ronald Tuggle, Niece Annette Tuggle, Nieces Adlai Osborn, Charlene Sierra-Lott, Nephew Seth Lott, Kenneth and Wendy Bucknor, Dr. Myrtle Mitchell, Thressa Alston, Doris Connor, Daniel and Beemnet Lefebo, Grandchildren Jeruald Tuggle, Jonathan Tuggle, Tatianna Sampson, Tatianna Osborn, Khloe and Kenneth Kole Bucknor Christopher Matthews I, Christopher Matthews II, Jordan Matthews, Ian Matthews, Sydnee and Nicole Matthews, Tina (Kenneth) Cooper, Marcus, Kenalia, Kenalo and Micah Cooper., Les Chanticleer Choir. Great-Grandchildren Emmanuel Lefebo, Mi-Jeanne Brown and a host of extended family (you know who you are) and dearly loved friends.

We the family would like to give special thanks to those who took such good care of her. Doctors'. Peter J. Casterella and Team and Carla Ainsworth and Team with Swedish Hospitals and care-giver Cassandra Thomas.