Wilson – Graveside Services for Mrs. Naomi Jean (Bates) Burris, 89, formerly of Wilson are scheduled for 10:00 am Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026 at Bomar Point Cemetery with Elder Art Barker and grandson Brandon Burris officiating. Services are under the direction of Alexander Gray Funeral Home of Wilson.

Naomi Jean Bates was born November 9, 1936 at Post Oak near Wilson, Oklahoma. She departed this life on Wed. August 5, 2026 at Ardmore.

Naomi was the 8th of 11 children born to Albert and Beatrice Rebecca Pruitt Bates. Six weeks before Naomi was born the family’s house burned and they lost everything. The Bates family moved into the building that was meant to be the chicken house. The family raised peanuts. The threshing crew was farmers in the area who went from one farm to another with the threshing machine. Naomi remembers helping to shock the peanut vines.

Naomi started to school at Post Oak where she attended 1st through 7th grades. Then Post Oak consolidated with Wilson School, so Naomi had to go the big school of Wilson in the 8th grade! It was there that she met Christia Burris a friend who took Naomi under her wing that 8th grade year. From this friendship she found out there was an older brother in the Army named Claud. Naomi met Claud when she was 15 and he was home on leave.

Naomi and Claud were married February 13, 1954 in Wilson at the Primitive Baptist Church. They were married for 67 years when Claud passed away in 2021. They made their first home in Oklahoma City with Claud’s great-aunt and uncle, Ed and Ella Smith. Russell Dean was born that year on December 24th.

They moved into the new house that they had built in Norman on March 1, 1955. There two more sons followed: Randell Wayne and Richard Kennon. In 1966 the Burris family moved to the 10 Mile Flats northwest of Norman. The family worked off the down payment of that house by feeding cows, taking care of the chickens and helping build a house for the Webb family.

Naomi was a 4-H leader as long as her boys were in 4-H. She was a member of the Pleasant Valley Extension Homemakers Club. The group made a quilt every year for the fair and always worked at the quilts at Naomi’s house. She went on to make many beautiful quilts over the years for her family members.

During Naomi’s working years she was an Election Board poll worker. She worked at Earl’s Flowers and Gifts, Elliott’s Flowers, and Ardella’s Flowers – all in Norman. She also worked at the Great American Mint Belt Buckle business.

When Claud retired in 1983, he and Naomi moved back to Wilson where they built an underground house south of town. There Naomi began working at Blondell’s Flowers, which she eventually purchased. She had the flower shop for about 20 years before retiring.

During this time she was a member of the Wilson Chamber of Commerce, assisting with many projects in town and also the Wilson Extension Homemakers.

From the age of 12 Naomi was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church attending Bethlehem Primitive Baptist in Oklahoma City and Cornish Primitive Baptist in Wilson. She served several years as church clerk at Wilson.

Naomi and Claud sold their house at Wilson and moved to Ardmore in 2019.

Naomi was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Claud; and brothers Paul, Joseph, Ray, Aaron and John.

She is survived by her sisters Joyce and Elizabeth; sons Russell and Carol of Yukon, Randy and Robyn of Sheridan, AR and Rick of Lone Grove; her grandchildren Brandon and Mistie of Oklahoma City, Keegan and Diann of Mustang, Chelsea of Bernau , Germany and Emily of Little Rock, AR ; great-grandchildren Kylie, Abbie, Hayes, Cassidy, Brenton, Colton and Jackie; as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

Condolences may shared online www.alexandergrayfh.com