Martha Lou Findeiss

After an adventure-filled life of 94 years, Martha Lou Miller Findeiss passed away on December 28, 2015, in Oklahoma City. Martha Lou was born in Van Buren, Arkansas, on November 15, 1921, to parents Samuel Jennings (Dee) and Bess DeLaney Miller, and moved to Oklahoma City during grade school, graduating from Classen High School in 1939. At the University of Oklahoma, Martha Lou was the first female cheerleader ever selected and met “the most wonderful dancer”, Ted Findeiss, whom she would later marry. But first Martha Lou spent two years as a stewardess for American Airlines while Ted went through Army Air Corps Flight Training. Martha Lou and Ted were married in 1944 immediately before Ted went to Europe to fly B17’s in the 8th Air Force. After a couple years back in Norman after the war, they raised four children in Oklahoma City while Martha Lou stayed constantly busy with Junior Hospitality, Kiwis, Westminster Presbyterian Church, lake cabins, and helping Ted with politics and the Oklahoma Continental apartments on 5th and Hudson. In 1969 life changed when Martha Lou and Ted moved to London, England, for Ted’s work in the international oil business. For the next 25 years she hosted visitors, explored every corner of Great Britain, and travelled throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. After moving back to Oklahoma City, she arranged and led 35 bus tours to England. Martha Lou continued to travel after Ted died in 2001, including to Fiji and China. Having been everywhere and done everything, Martha Lou always marveled at how far she had come from Van Buren, Arkansas. Her energy will be missed by her children Steve, Larry (Barbara), Nancy, and Susan (David Austin), six grandchildren (Liz, Cal, John, Laney, Claire, Nolan) and two great-grandchildren (Levi and Bethan), many special extended family, and so many friends here now, already gone, and fondly remembered. Her family especially appreciates, as she did, the warm caregivers at Clare Bridge/Brookdale who helped her achieve her goal of being happy every day. A memorial service at Westminster is being planned by Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper for January 16, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Martha’s name to the Oklahoma Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 2123 N. Classen Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73106.