Edith Earlene Fomby

Funeral services for Edith Earlene Fomby, a lifelong Atoka, OK resident, were held Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Brown’s Funeral Chapel in Atoka with Bro. Joey Lansdale officiating. Burial was in Fomby Family Cemetery in Atoka with Brown’s Funeral Service in charge of arrangements.

Ms. Fomby was born September 21, 1945 to Theodore Wayne and Lena Neola (Rains) Maxwell at Atoka, OK and passed away January 18, 2023 at her home in Atoka at the age of 77 years, 3 months and 28 days.

She attended Harmony Grade School and graduated from Atoka High School with the class of 1963. Earlene, a single mother of three, worked at the Atoka Truck Stop in 1974 where she met her lifelong companion, Harold Jackson “Jack” Fomby, also a single parent of three children. On June 1974, a few weeks after meeting, Earlene and Jack joined their two families together at a small ceremony at Harmony Baptist Church. In June 2022, they celebrated 48 years as a family.

In 1975 Earlene would become employed at Atoka Public Schools as a school bus driver and quickly became known as “bus momma” and the later “bus granny”. She retired from Atoka Public Schools in 2019 after dedicating 43 years of service.

Earlene enjoyed taking care of her flowers, admiring her cows, watching the birds, taking trips to Hot Springs, but most of all she loved spending time with her grandchildren, all 59 of them. She loved taking care of her family.

Survivors include her husband, Jack Fomby of the home in Atoka; children, Anita Zurline and husband Mark of Atoka, Vince Nicholson of Long Beach, CA, James Fomby and wife Gina of Boswell, OK, LeAnn McCarty of the home, Harold Fomby and wife Hanna of Atoka, Ramona Turney and husband Tony of McAlester and Mary Pierce and husband Cory of Atoka; grandchildren, Stephanie Smithart and husband Robby, Jordan Zurline, Phillip Stephens, Colby Crowder, Zachary Fomby and wife Sandi, Courtney Fomby and Clayton, Sadie Fomby, Ethan Fomby and wife Haley, Jessica West and husband Pat, Wyatt Fomby, Jera Davidson, Jaxi Fomby, Ja’sa Fomby, Tim McCarty and wife Daphne, Quenton Thompson and wife Jasmine, Triston Thompson and wife Felicia, Zachary Patton and wife Cheyenne, Bryar Turney and Zack, Olivia Smith and husband Matthew, Gavin Pierce, Cameron Pierce, Taylor Nicholson, Cody Nicholson and Addi Nicholson; greatgrandchildren, Axel, Bodi, Addi, Karsyn, Swayze, Tesla, Sawyer, Tannah, Kingston, Zoey, Maverick, Oliver, Jayde, Miley, Carter, Pistol, Kimber, Rhettlynn, Calvin, Audie, Landon, Lizzie, Kylie, Avery, Addyson, Kaden, Conner, Raylee Jo, Tylar, Abigail, Remi, Bear, Colt, Alera, and Henry; siblings, Charles Maxwell and wife Shay of Bowleggs, OK, Teddy Maxwell and wife Crystal of Seminole, OK and Charlene Maxwell of Campti, LA; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ted and Lena Neola (Rains) Maxwell; sister, Dorene Andrews; and grandsons, Tyler Thompson, and Cody Turney.