The following is an obituary submission.
Ollie Joy Spocogee, age 86, passed away on Monday, Sept. 9 surrounded by family at Heritage Grove Assisted Living after battling lung cancer during the last year.
She was born August 9, 1938 in Okemah, Oklahoma and was the daughter of Jacob Tarpley Spocogee and Minnie Deer Spocogee.
Joy has lived in many places including Oklahoma, New Mexico and Rockville, Maryland. She spent the last several years in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
She spent a large portion of her career working for various tribal organizations in Oklahoma and New Mexico along with Indian Health Services in Maryland advocating for others to ensure fair treatment in the workplace. After retiring she worked at the Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Joy had a love of sewing, especially in her creations of Native American clothing using her special Muscogee Creek designs. Her garments were well known for being sold at different tribal art festivals and pow wows.
Survivors include her sons, Donovan Spocogee and wife, Tami of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Robert Williams and wife, Rebecca of Mountain Home, Arkansas along with daughter-in-law Lindsey Williams.
She was “Auntie” to multiple nieces and nephew including, Jocelyn and Sidney Sice, Frederick and Danielle Thompson, Jessica and Willynette Nelson and Olivia Sice from Albuquerque, NM.
In addition, Joy had nine grandchildren, Jeremy Spocogee, Cory Spocogee, Leia Williams, Jacob Williams, Dakota Flores, Mark S. Williams, Angelica Joy Whitt, Cheyenne Williams, and Hunter Williams, along with six great grandchildren, Brayden and Laney Spocogee, Leilani Williams, Lilli-Ann Wilbur, Alamea Kay Williams and Charlotte Whitt.
She was preceded in death by her parents and son, John Micco Williams along with her sister O. Pauline Spocogee Sice Thompson and nephew Tyrone Sice from Albuquerque, NM.
She had many friends that considered her as family and was well loved by all.
Services honoring Joy are planned to be held in the Mesas in New Mexico to spread her ashes at a later date.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Hunn Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Checotah, Okla.
To send flowers or plant a tree in memory of Ollie Joy Spocogee, please visit the online Legacy Sympathy Store.
