Rita Lester

Funeral services for Rita Grisham Lester are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, at Swearingen Funeral Chapel. Glen Pence, pastor of First Christian Church, Seminole, will officiate. Burial will follow at Little Cemetery.

Rita died Wednesday, Nov. 17, at her home at Avonlea Cottage in Seminole. She was a lifelong resident of Seminole County.

She was born July 18, 1935, in Arkansas to Oather James and Iva Velvia (Dickson) Burkhart. She spent her childhood in the Rudy, Ark., area and moved to Seminole County in her early teens. She attended school at New Lima.

Rita married Houston A. Grisham on Aug. 19, 1950; he died May 19, 2001. She married Donald Lester on July 21, 2007; he died March 23, 2013.

She was a homemaker all her life. She was a devoted member of First Christian Church, serving as Sunday School teacher and on the Board of Elders. She was a member of several local organizations, including the Self Culture Club.

She served in the Seminole chapter of Order of Eastern Star, rising to the position of Worthy Matron. When the Seminole chapter closed, she was granted perpetual membership in the Tecumseh chapter.

With her first husband, Rita had five children. She was preceded in death by her four sons, Dennis, Larry, Terry and Randy Grisham. She is survived by one daughter, Karen Grisham Anson, and her husband, Jerry Anson, of Seminole.

Also surviving her are her grandchildren, Heather Anson and Jeremy Long of Norman; Jill and Eric Malone of East Grand Forks, Minn.; Ryan and Heather Anson of Moore; Dennis Jr. and Brooke Grisham of Oklahoma City; Kelsey (Grisham) and Michael Williams of Ada; and Jade and Josh Hurst of Tulsa.

Great-grandchildren include Carter and Greyson Malone, Jake and Tyler Anson, Nicholas Long, Trey and Seth Grisham.

Pallbearers will include Jerry and Ryan Anson, Kenneth “Sonny” Grisham, Dennis Grisham Jr., Levi Henson and Carter Malone.

The family visitation is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.