Nona Mullins

A resilient, stoic and elegant woman, Nona was known by all for her kind and humble nature and positive attitude. There was not a task she could not manage nor a person she would not help. Selfless and caring, she always put others before herself and made people feel welcome and special.

Nona grew up on her parents’ cotton farm in Farmers Branch, Texas, as the oldest girl of five children and was a devoted daughter and sister who cherished her parents and siblings.  She graduated from Carrollton High School in 1936.  A true daughter of Texas, she loved the Yellow Rose of Texas and was known to jokingly say she just “breathed better in Texas!”

In August 1939, Nona married R.E. Mullins and together they built a successful dairy business in Lewisville, Texas.  Nona was also very active in the Lewisville Parent Teacher Association (PTA).  In 1954, she and R.E. purchased a cattle ranch in Caddo, Okla., where they raised their family. In Caddo, Nona was instrumental in establishing the Caddo PTA and always strived to enhance the school children’s lives.  Known for her exceptional style and sense of fashion, Nona also worked as a buyer for the Gibson’s Department store in the 1960s.

Nona was well known for her wonderful cooking. From ranch hands to grandchildren to neighbors alike, it was always a treat to enjoy Nona’s homemade biscuits and gravy, fried chicken and chocolate and coconut cream pies.

Nona’s greatest joy in life was her grandchildren, and she never tired of spending countless hours leading them on ponies and cooking their favorite meals. Throughout their lives, Nona was involved with and attended countless numbers of their activities from piano recitals to football games to horse shows and rodeos and supported and helped her grandchildren in every way possible.

Nona’s most enduring legacy, however, is that she loved her family and instilled the values of faith, kindness, honesty, integrity and hard work that have served her family well in life. She was an especially beautiful and wonderful person that will be dearly missed but forever in our hearts. This is only goodbye for now, Mamma – rest well thy good and faithful servant.

Nona is preceded in death by her husband, R.E. Mullins; parents, William L. and Dora Mae Brooks; brothers, Virgil and Lynn Brooks; sisters, Lillian Rosser and Ethel Brooks and son-in-law, Dr. Carroll T. Hutchens, II.

Nona is survived by her devoted children, Richard Mullins and Joanne Hutchens both of Durant, Okla.; grandchildren, Raquel Schmitz and husband Eric of Mountain Springs, Texas, C.T. Hutchens and wife Stacy of Durant, Okla., Heather Hutchens of Mountain Springs, Texas, and Torrie Edge and husband Cole of Durant, Okla.; great-grandchildren: Cameron Hutchens, Adison Hutchens, and Hadley and London Edge, all of Durant, Okla.; nieces: Mecky Yandell, Ginger Crowder, Debra Lynn Shaw, and Mary Beth Swadley; nephews: William Rosser, Boyd Burris, Monny Mullins, Bobby Burris, Billy Burris, Robert Rankin Brooks, Joseph Emerson Brooks, and sister-in-law, LaJuana Brooks.

A heartfelt thank you to Nona’s incredible caregivers Norma Martinez, Miriam Garcia, Brandy Freel and Sandy Larose. Your wonderful dedication and loving care for our loved one was truly remarkable.

A celebration of her life will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the First Baptist Church in Durant, Okla. with Bro. James Robinson officiating. Nona’s final earthly resting place will be the Highland Cemetery in Durant, her pallbearers will be Boyd Burris, Bobby Burris, Billy Burris, Cole Edge, Cameron Hutchens, and Tony Tubbs.