Elva Pauline "Polly" Perdue

Elva Pauline "Polly" Perdue, born on December 21, 1932, in Buffalo Valley, Oklahoma, peacefully passed away on the early morning of May 3, 2026, at her home in Stillwater, Oklahoma, surrounded by the loving embrace of her family. Her departure marks the end of a remarkable life defined by love, faith, and a devotion to family and community that touched all who knew her.

Polly was a woman whose heart was as vast as the Oklahoma plains she called home. She was raised in Buffalo Valley, where she attended the Lone Elm School through the fifth grade, walking daily alongside her siblings to a little one-room country school. Those formative years laid the foundation for a spirit deeply rooted in simplicity and hard work—a spirit she carried and cherished throughout her life.

Her loving nature was apparent to all. Polly was known for her kindness, her readiness to put others before herself, and for her radiant sense of humor that could brighten any room. Her strong faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was a guiding light, providing strength and comfort through life’s many seasons. She found joy not only in her relationship with God but also in the warmth of family gatherings, especially during the holidays when her home was the cherished gathering place for those she held dear.

A true matriarch, Polly’s kitchen was a sanctuary filled with the aroma of her famous chicken and dumplings and yeast rolls, delights that brought family together in celebration and love. She loved to work, tending to her cattle and spending peaceful moments on her land, which reflected her enduring connection to nature and the rhythms of rural life.

Polly’s family was her greatest treasure. She is mourned by her daughter, Connie Leathers, and husband Randy of Buffalo Valley, Oklahoma. Her grandchildren—Ronnie Dighton of Stillwater, Tammy Gibson and husband Wes of Buffalo Valley, Tina King of McAlester, Clint Leathers and wife April of Rattan, Jolene Johnson and husband Jordan of Charleston, Arkansas, and Curtis Leathers and wife Abby of Sapulpa—carry forward her legacy. She was a beloved great-grandmother to Hope Dighton, Noah Dighton, Haley Van Meter, Clay Hawes, Marlie Leathers, Landon Leathers, Kaelyn Gist, Maddison Johnson, Anthony Johnson, Chance Leathers, Cooper Leathers, Cody Leathers, and Colson Leathers, and a cherished great-great-grandmother to Joy, Peyton, Wylie, Ruby, and Wynter. Also close in her heart were her nieces and nephews: Betty Eaton, Howard Young, Harold Young, Diane Cozzi, Judy Burnett, Jan Covington, Mike Rabor, Colleen Cole, Betty Fields, Ricky Young, Randy Young, Kathy Young, Sue Walton, Ona Ely, Pam Brown, Raymond Carter, Karen Butterfield, and Shirley Brooks, along with a host of extended family and friends who felt her warmth and care.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Paulette Holder; her parents, Ben and Lucy Young; her siblings, T.W. Young, Cleo VanMeter, Deno Hendrix, Whit Young, Ivy Cooley, Opal Perryman, Judy Carter, Sue Stringer, and her twin brother Ellis Young; as well as several nieces and nephews whose memories remain entwined with hers.

Services to honor Polly will begin with a visitation on Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Yanush Assembly of God Church. A Celebration of Life will follow on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the same location, offering family and friends a chance to gather in grateful remembrance. Rev. Jeremy Bull and Rev. Rodney Tate will officiate.  The interment will take place immediately after, at 2:00 PM at the Cupco Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be Ralph Johnson, Hunter Fields, Colt Fields, Landon Leathers, Chance Leathers, and Cooper Leathers.  Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Young, Larry Fields, Randy Leathers, Jim Kirkes, Franklin Dighton, Ricky Young, Guy Cole, Wes Gibson, Weston Smalling and Remington Young.

Polly’s life was a tapestry woven with hard work, faith, laughter, and an unwavering devotion to those she loved. Her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her, a shining testament to a life beautifully lived.