Longtime Sand Springs resident, Barbara Twyla Pitts, departed this life on Friday, January 15, 2021 at the age of 91. Twyla, as she preferred her friends to call her, was in the loving care of Seasons Hospice nurses and staff at The Gardens, Sapulpa, OK at her time of passing. Her son Don and dear family friend Connie Korb were by her side, holding her hands as she peacefully transitioned. Services are entrusted to Mobley-Groesbeck Funeral Service of Sand Springs, OK, visitation will be held Tuesday 12-8pm and a celebration of her life will begin at 10 a.m., Wednesday, January 20, at the Mobley-Groesbeck Chapel -- Rev. Fred Waldrep officiating. Twyla will be laid to rest at Woodland Memorial Park, together once again, beside her husband Clarence following the chapel service.

The third sibling of Fredrick Oliver Holderread and Melda Streight (Holsinger) Holderread began her fruitful journey in this life on February 28, 1929, in Cushing, OK. Born just 8 months before the Great Depression befell our country, she was taught many life-skills of necessity in that era and "grew up fast" as she would recount. She often shared with a twinkle in her eyes how her older brother Oliver would escort her to school, sometimes riding her on a mule that the family owned and how their older sister Alta was often the adult supervision of her and Oliver because their parents were working to provide for them. As a young teen she worked for her parents who owned a grocery store and later a lumber yard in Cushing. She would tell how everyone "…did their part and pitched in" to live and how she worked after school at the family grocery store. In a soft voice she would share with a hint of mused laughter about learning to drive a stick shift panel truck before legal driving age; delivering groceries to customers during those hard years when our nation struggled to deal with economic strife and a World War. As the story went, her parents had arranged a special driving permit with the local police chief if she stayed nearby with her travels. Twyla graduated Cushing High School in 1947 and continued working there where she met Clarence F. "Burr" Pitts, who was working nearby in the petroleum industry following his discharge from military service in the US Army Air Forces. The courtship blossomed and prevailed the ages -- they were married on September 10, 1947 in Sherman, TX; and soon made their home in Sand Springs to begin their own young family. As homemaker and mother, Burr and Twyla raised two children, (Don and Carol) as well as cared for many children in their neighborhood in the late 1950's and early '60's. Their home was often the scene of children playing with adult oversight provided in the background from cousins, aunts and friends, taking care of one and other as was customary in those times. Once her own children were in school she worked outside the home with part-time employment at Allied Stamp which turned into a full-time job where she continued to work for many years until retirement. She was a talented seamstress, making her own clothes and sometimes those for her daughter and friends, keeping her survival instincts and skills at the ready from those depression-years teaching. She loved gardening and canning home grown vegetables and was an accomplished cook – Fried chicken on Sunday after church was part of life at the Pitts or Holderread homes. Twyla was a member of the Sand Springs First United Methodist Church where she volunteered as a Sunday school teacher, and helped with Vacation Bible School. Twyla's great joy was her children, grandchildren and great grandchild as well as those she "adopted" throughout her life. She is remembered by all who entered into her life as a sweet lady, ready to selflessly give when she saw a need and full of fun, laughter, and genuine love.

Twyla is preceded in death by her husband, Clarence in 2001; her parents; and siblings: Alta Leona (Holderread) Carter and Oliver Paul Holderread of Cushing, OK.

She is survived by her children: Don Pitts of Sand Springs, and Carol Young of Denver, CO; grandchildren: Jennifer L. (Pitts) Wygle and husband, Chris, Stephanie R. Pitts, and Melissa L. Pitts; and the apple of her eye great-grandson, Jaxon Wayne Pitts.

Leave your memories of Twyla and view her tribute online at www.mogro.co.