Byrdie Ruth Phillips Johnson, beloved mother and grandmother died July 7, 2020. She was a long-time resident of Ponca City, OK. She moved to Midwest City, OK in January 2018 to live near her daughter in an assisted living community. She was born August 19, 1931 in Kansas City, MO and was the only child of Champ Clark and Byrdie Katherine Nothnagel Phillips. Her mother died when she was 3 days old. Byrdie lived in several homes during her childhood and moved to Newton, KS to live with her aunt and later in high school lived with Earl and Olive Beamgard. She graduated from Newton High School in 1949.

When Byrdie was a young teenager and singing with a group of girls, she spontaneously started harmonizing and thought it sounded pretty good. This led her to sing in choirs and quartets. She later joined the Ponca City Chapter of Sweet Adelines and sang bass. She was a member for many years and held different chapter offices including President. Singing was her hobby and she truly loved it. Byrdie also enjoyed sending greeting cards and writing letters to her family and friends.

While working at a drugstore in Newton, KS she met her future husband Seth Delbert “Deb” Johnson. They were married February 5, 1950 in Newton, KS. Their daughter was born in 1952. They moved to Ponca City, OK in 1953 where their son was born in 1954.

After graduation Byrdie worked as a nurse aide at the Newton Axtell Christian Hospital. In Ponca City she was an Avon representative for several years. She also worked at the Ponca City Hospital for 24 years in several different departments. She retired as an EKG technician. She was also the bookkeeper for Delbert’s welding equipment repair business which he owned for 43 years and also helped him with his taxidermy business.

Byrdie was preceded in death by her husband, who was the love of her life, her parents, granddaughter Stacey Girdner and her foster parents Earl and Olive Beamgard.of Newton, KS. She is survived by her daughter Denece Girdner of Del City, OK, son Larry Johnson and his wife Montine of Plano, TX, grandchildren Keith Girdner and fiancé Cheryl of Yukon, OK, Cory Girdner and his wife Katye of Oklahoma City, OK, Travis Johnson, Tara Johnson and Parker Davidson all of Plano, TX and foster sister Gloria Martin of Wichita, KS and her family.

The family would like to thank both of the staffs at Blue Ridge Place of Midwest City, OK and Storey Oaks Memory Care of Oklahoma City, OK for their caring support of Byrdie. They would also like to thank Pam, Lisa and Sam of Healing Hearts Hospice for their support and compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers a memorial donation can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Graveside services have been scheduled for Tuesday July 14, 2020 at 10:00 in the morning at the Sunset Memorial Park east of Ponca City off of Joe Colby Road. It will be streamed live by Trout Funeral Home on their website www.troutfuneralhome.com.

paid obituary