Cecelia Ann Tubb
1942-2025
On January 2, 2025, Cecelia A Tubb (Sissy) passed away at the age of 82, following a series of hospitalizations. Sissy followed her husband Dan in death and is survived by their daughter Kimberly and son Jeffery, her two granddaughters Katy and Marlina, and brothers Bob and Cary (Don).
Cecelia was born in Oklahoma City. She was the daughter of Katherine "Lucille" and Cecil David Samara. She was the oldest of five siblings; Sharon, Carolyn, Bob, and Cary (Don) and as their big sister, earned the name Sissy.
She graduated from Northwest Classen High School. At 16, she was the youngest real estate agent in Oklahoma at the time. After Graduation, Sissy pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. That led to a long and rewarding career at the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma. She kept her nursing license current until she was 81. It was there that she met a handsome medical student named Dan. The two became engaged on New Years Eve and married after Cecelia's graduation. Dan and Sissy had their daughter Kimberly in 1967 while in Wichita. They moved with the Army to Honolulu, Hawaii, where they spent four years and had their son Jeffery in 1972. While living in Hawaii, Sissy spent two years teaching in a Montessori School. She enjoyed Hawaiian culture and the natural beauty of the islands, attending local festivals and events. She was also an amazing cook and became adept at hosting the officers and their wives while living on base.
When Jeff was about a year old, Sissy and Dan asked to be transferred to Fort Sill Army Hospital. They spent two years in Lawton before discharging from the Army and moving to Edmond in 1974. There, they attended First Presbyterian Church, making many lifelong friends. Being an amazing hostess, she and Dan gave memorable parties every year, hosting as many as 135 people in their Oakdale Farms home.
In addition to being a wonderful hostess, Sissy and Dan grew to love Native American art and culture. Many family vacations revolved around going to galleries, art auctions, and touring pueblos and native ceremonies. They usually included a ski trip to appease the kids! Sissy traveled frequently accompanied by Dan or her best girls. They had great trips to England, France, Italy, Mexico, and the Bahamas, and also enjoyed NYC, Washington DC, Las Vegas, San Francisco, New Orleans, and San Diego. She absolutely loved her trips to New Zealand to visit Dan while he was working there. For their 50 th anniversary, they took a "bucket list" cruise to Alaska. In 2018, she made a long-awaited journey to the Holy Land with a group from First Pres. There she visited Israel and Jordan even staying in the desert in a Bedouin tent one night.
Growing up in the Samara family, OU Football was a life-long favorite. She followed them enthusiastically and treasured the history in her dad's honor. She drove his car to several games after his passing and worked with the Ruf-Neks to document his history with the "Big Red Rocket." During past years she was so excited to see that OU had done a complete restoration of it.
In her spare time, Sissy enjoyed paper crafting journal books from antique materials. Her craft room is a hobbyist's dream! She also enjoyed music, especially New Orleans Jazz. She was also passionate about the International Cursillo Pilgrimage Movement and worked at the local, state, and national levels to further their work.
Following Dan's passing in 2020, her daughter Kimberly moved in with her to help out. Sissy fought through many health challenges during that time. She passed away late at night on January 2, 2025.
A memorial service is scheduled February 24, 2025, at 10:00 am., at First Presbyterian Church of Edmond, 1001 S. Rankin St., Edmond, Oklahoma 73034.