A Celebration of Life for Katricia Cheek is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, April 12 at Little’s Chapel.
Katricia Cheek, age 71, of Purcell passed away peacefully on April 6, 2024. Katricia Jo Cheek was born on June 12, 1952 in Hollis, Oklahoma, the youngest of 7 children born to Jesse Samuel Mills and Georgia Virginia (Clary) Myers. She attended Hollis Public Schools and graduated with theTiger Class of 1970.
Shortly after graduating high school, she decided to further her education by attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974.
In August of that same year, Katricia answered the call of service when she joined the United States Army. She served overseas in Augsburg, Germany from 1974 to 1977 as a Teletype Operator using Morse Code. In fact, she was the firt woman who was ever entrusted to that position. Katricia served her country honorably, faithfully and proudly.
However, she still valued her education greatly. So, after her time in the Army, she decided to go back to school to obtain her Master’s in Education from East Central University. Katricia was a hardworking and determined woman, and she demonstrated these charactistics in everything she did. While starting out her career as a young teacher, she also worked a second job at Wright’s In & Out. It was there that she caught the eye of a young man named, Ricky Allan Cheek. The two hit it off quickly and were nearly inseparable. Ricky and Katricia were married on May 7, 1982 at the McClain County Courthouse in Purcell, Oklahoma by Judge Love. They always said they married by love and they remained in love.
Katricia worked as a public-school teacher for over 30 years. Throughout those 30 years, she worked at a number of schools such as Burns Flat Schools, Lexington Public Schools, Canadian Valley Coop and Purcell Public Schools from where she eventually retired.
And while she and Ricky never had children of their own, Katricia chrished the thousands of children who went through her classrooms over the years. Katricia truly loved them all like her own! In her free time, she enjoyed doing anything outdoors, whether it be camping, hunting or fishing. Katricia and Ricky made very fond memories doing all of those together.
Katricia was a determined, kind, caring and loving woman known for her beautiful smile. She truly was one-of-a-kind and she will be dearly missed.
She was preceded in death by: her parents, Jesse Mills and Georgia Myers; sisters, Dorothy Jean West, Francis Onabell Smith, and infant sister, Paula Jay Mills; brothers, Billy Ray Mills and Walter Virgil Mills.
Katricia is survived by: her best friend, partner and husband, Ricky Cheek of the home; sister, Phyllis Hammon and husband Don of Mustang, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of other family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that you make donations to the Cancer Society, Loving Care Hospice, and Landmark Church in Purcell.
Online condolences may be made at wilsonlittle.com.
