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- Smith Funeral Home
Lena V. French born August 2, 1921 died peacefully at home with her loving daughter by her side at sunrise on April 25, 2021, three months shy of her 100th birthday. Lena was the fourth child of 8 born on the farm just outside of Andarko, the daughter of O.C. and an original allottee, Louise (Asetoyer) Villicana, the proud granddaughter of Es Sa Tow Yah Be of the Comanche Nation.
Anadarko has a always been the town she loved and called home. Lena grew up enjoying the country life, attending the mission at St. Patrick's for a time and later working with the nuns at the school, reading bedtime stories to the young girls in residence. Lena was a lifelong member of St. Patrick's Church.
Lena married Robert Moren, a pilot in WWII and had one son, Stanley Robert, both deceased. During the war Lena worked in the Dallas plant as a riveter supporting the War Effort. Lena then moved to California where she met and married a second time to R.H. French, deceased, an engineer with Hughes Aircraft. Together they had two children R.H. French III, deceased and a daughter Carissa, the only surviving child. Lena is also survived by sister Genevieve Castillo, of Anadarko and brother Frederick Villicana of California, daughter-in-law Sharon, grandchildren, Christian and michelle of Texas, Jamie of OK, Dillon of OK, Kate of CA, Sarah of OK, Annie of CA, several great grand children, great great grandchildren and many nephews and nieces. Lena was preceded in death by her two sons Stanley and Rainsford, two brothers Eli and Joe and three sisters Anna, Toni and Johnnie.
Lena returned from California to make Anadarko her home, in the 60's, working briefly for the Health Department as a Home Health Aide and from there happily moving on to work for the City at the Anadarko Public Library for over 25 years. Lena was a voracious reader, many times with multiple books open, finding a great deal of pleasure in retelling the stories which she had read. Lena kept a personal journal containing daily life events and kept a running account that included historical information of family members. Lena loved visiting new places, traveling abroad, visiting many countries in Europe and making multiple trips to Mexico. Lena was a humble and kind woman garnering the devotion of many extended family members that affectionately called her "Nana", ever compassionate to those in need she was most generous with the little she had, be it a kind and loving word, an open door to her home or the sharing of a meal. She welcomed many, no-one ever being a stranger when they left. Lena was, in turn, well loved by those whose footsteps crossed the threshold into her house. In lieu of flowers, please offer each other the sign of Peace. In her own words she often said "I love everybody," this means you.
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