Florence
Calls Him Cole, longtime resident of the Ponca City area,
passed away Monday morning, Feb. 7, 2011, at her home in
Ponca City. She was 83. Her given Indian name was
Glay-da-they-Xa (which means stubborn hawk).
Florence was born April 9, 1927, on the
family homestead on the Yellow Berry allotment of the
Bressie community. Her parents were George Calls Him Sr. and
Ellen Yellow Berry Calls Him. She attended school in Pawnee
and later Chilocco Indian School. She married Gilbert Cole
Jr. on Dec. 5, 1947, in Newkirk.
Florence was of the House of Nikapahshna
(Deer Clan). She was nationally known as a master bead
worker and has some of her craft on display at the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. She had
personally made many of the crowns that were presented at
the area pow-wows. She was sought out by many of the Ponca
Tribal people to teach them the Poncan native language.
She was the matriarch of the Cole family
and had taken in many other tribal people as her own that
included the Calls Him, Roye, White Star and LeClair
families. She was known as a mother and friend to many
people. She was very supportive of the American Legion
activities and was a member of the Alfred Little Standing
Buffalo Post 38 Auxiliary. She was very proud of her
family's service to our country. She was also a member of
the Ponca Indian Methodist Church.
She was a very traditional tribal member
and her enjoyments included attending the traditional Indian
dances, going to the casinos, where she enjoyed playing
bingo, and spending time with her many family and extended
family.
She is survived by her four sons, Delbert
Cole, Colbert Cole, Robert Cole and Talbert Cole; two
daughters, Constance Maria Cole and Sarah Ellen Cole
Primeaux; one sister, Geraldine Hardman Primeaux; 15
grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and her
brother-in-law, Phillip Smith.
She was preceded in death by her parents;
husband; two infant daughters, both named Marcia; one infant
son, Gilbert Cole III; three brothers, Rev. George Calls Him
Jr., Leonard Biggoose and the Rev. Stanton White Star; and
three sisters, Christine Calls Him Big Bear, Doris Calls Him
Roye and Bonnie Calls Him LeClair.
Prayer services will be held at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the Ponca Indian Methodist Church. A
traditional noon meal will be served prior to the service at
2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Ponca Indian Methodist
Church. The services will be officiated by Bro. Jimmy White
and the Rev. Abraham Jackson. Interment will follow in the
Ponca Tribal Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial
Chapel.
Casket bearers will be Mrs. Cole's
grandsons.
Her online guestbook may be signed at
www.gracememorialchapel.net.