Edna Strickler

Edna Mae Strickler the daughter of Johnny “Fiddlin’” Lee Bean and Mary Jane (Patrick) Bean was born November 22, 1920 in Muskogee, Oklahoma and departed this life on July 11, 2019, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the age of 98 years, 7 months and 19 days.

Edna was a 20 + years employee at Cherokee Nation, Personnel Specialist. She was the one who hired the one and only female Chief of the Cherokees, Chief Wilma P. Mankiller.

Edna loved her family and enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren great and great-great grandchildren. She enjoyed listening to old church hymns and watching game shows such as Jeopardy, The Price is Right and The Wheel of Fortune. She never missed an OU Football or OKC Thunder game. She loved to work and play Casino games on her iPad, she also enjoyed playing Pitch. When she was younger, she liked to walk everywhere, it didn’t really matter the distance. Edna touched many lives over the years and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her Parents “Fiddling” Johnny Bean and Mary Patrick Bean and 5 siblings; Joe Bean, Beatrice Smith, Leroy Bean, Hattie Mae Danner, and Billie Francis Bean

She is survived by a loving family which includes her daughters; JoAnne Clinton of Lost City, OK, Becky Wadley and Kent Swepston of Tahlequah, OK, and Jackie Stratton and husband Dennis of Cookson, OK; sister Juanita Chilson of Tahlequah, OK; A wonderful niece Gloria Mada whom she considered her own. Grandchildren Shelly Smith, Shannon Fisher, Brandy Hix, Ryan Stratton and Markie Whitney; great-grandchildren; Justin Smith, Cory Smith, Haden Smith, Lexie Holdridge, Paige Bowlin, Coleman Wacoche, River Hix, and Pyper Hix Kane Rosa and Balyor Stratton; 4 great-great-grandchildren and one more on the way. A host of nieces, nephews, and friends who loved her.