Surname Index
Updated: 17 Jan 2012

Daily Oklahoman, The 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
January 29, 2009

Muriel Ellen Dean Seebeck, of Choctaw, Oklahoma, an American Agriculturist, was born August 12, 1916, as the third child of Blanche Love Ashby and Harry Delbert Dean, passed away on January 27, 2009 at the age of 92 years and 5 months. Muriel's mother was of Scottish and Irish descent whose family came to America on the Mayflower and then to Oklahoma in the Land Run of 1889. Muriel was raised on a family farm and with tenacity, strength, and insight. She toiled until the end of her life on a family farm. Muriel's wish that all family farms be preserved so future generations could have the glorious and wonderful lifestyle that she had.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Albert; brothers, Van (an infant), Harold and wife Peggy, Herb and wife Billie June, Kenneth and wife Pauline, Delbert, Bill, and Clayburn Curtis. Star Elementary on NE 23 and Douglas was homestead land given by her grandparents, Dallas and Ellen Dean. The Raintree Housing Addition has streets named for her family. In grade school, Muriel won awards for math, spelling, and penmanship. She attended Webster Junior High and graduated from Central High School in 1934, with honors. She had the special opportunity to attend Edmond Teacher's College, where she majored in mathematics.

On December 29, 1937, she married Albert John Seebeck at Zion Lutheran Church in Oklahoma City. As a new bride, she moved to the State Center community in the Jones-Choctaw area. They were married for 53 years. She and Albert were honored by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau with the "Farm Family of the Year" award. As a farmer's wife and rancher, she actively participated in the day- to-day work. She kept records for their registered red limousin cattle. They had different breeds of cattle but she was partial to the red cows. At alfalfa hay baling time, it was her job to drive the 1941 Farmall H tractor to rake and turn the hay rows for drying. The hay baler took two people, one on each side, to manually push and pull wires through the hay for tying of the bales. This was another job she loved to do. In 1947, O,G&E built electric lines down the one lane dirt road pass the farm. Hoorah for electric lights, running water, inside toilets, warm baths, and washing machines. She loved to tell the story of the spring planting of seed potatoes. It was necessary to plant by the moon sign. By July, the new potatoes were ready for harvesting. The soil was turned, potatoes were picked up by hand, placed in buckets, poured into the wooded wheel wagon, and later stored in the cool cellar. It was now time for the 4th of July picnic. She and Albert supported the local and state 4-H Club, FFA, FHA, local schools, scouts, and all youth organizations. They took great pride in their contributions of service and leadership. Muriel was a member of the Willing Workers Home Demonstration Club at State Center. From her garden, she always canned green beans and tomato preserves. A few of the many jobs she served were: census taker, host for neighborhood political rallies, substitute teacher, advisor for State Center-Jones and Oklahoma County 4-H Clubs, Putnam City Kirkland Elementary Scout Campouts, FFA Spring Livestock Shows, Oklahoma County Free Fairs, Oklahoma State Fair Women's Division, Oklahoma State Spring Livestock Show. In the 1990's, she attended all of the Moore High School football games and in 2007-2008, she attended all of the Harrah High School football games and watched and cheered with pride as her grandson, Phillip, coached the secondary. She loved to attend the local FFA Spring Livestock Show and to watch the cattle sales at the Oklahoma City Stockyards. She was a safe driver and took pride in never being stopped by the police! She participated in the Choctaw, Jones, and Harrah parades where she rode in either her classic black 1950 flatbed Chevy pickup or her covered wagon that was full of kids and pulled by her classic 1941 Farmall H Tractor. Since the death of her husband, Albert, in 1990, with the help of her daughter, Phyllis, and grandsons, David and Phillip, Muriel was able to actively engage and enjoy the farm-ranch lifestyle that she loved. In the early 1970's, she attended the H&R Block Tax Preparers School where she earned special recognition and taught tax classes. She worked many tax seasons at the Inman Tax Service, Spencer, OK. When this company sold, she took accounts to her home and continued figuring taxes to the age of 91. Muriel was a kind, loving, wonderful lady, a farmer's wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, farmer and rancher. Life was good! She joined the Jones Methodist Church family in 1950.

Survivors include her daughter, Phyllis Webb; son, Dean Seebeck and his wife, Virginia of Overland Park, KS; grandchildren, David John Webb and his wife, Michelle, Phillip Dean Webb and his wife, Jennifer, Matt and Leah Seebeck, both of Overland Park, KS; great-grandchildren, Anna, Lucy, and Abby Webb, and Charlie Scop Webb; sister, Cecile Curtis; sister-in-law, Mary Lou Dean; and a host of nieces and nephews. To honor her life, her family requests that gifts be made to: The Jones Methodist Church Building Fund, PO Box 597, 106 Cherokee Street, Jones, OK 73049. A special "Thank You" to Dr. Grace Ruidera, Dr. Asim Chohan, Reverend John Youell, Reverend Johnny Youell, Annie Youell, and Dr. Michael Anderson.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Saturday, January 31, 2009, at Kolb Cemetery, 3600 N. Midwest Boulevard, Spencer, OK.

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, January 2012. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?

I always welcome comments and corrections.