In Loving Memory of

Charlotte Noahlene “Ma” Bear

January 25, 1935 – March 30, 2026

Charlotte Noahlene (Gann) Bear, 91, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2026, at Grace Living Center in Jenks, Oklahoma. She was born on January 25, 1935, in Kiefer, Oklahoma, to Noah and Jessie (Reagan) Gann. 

Charlotte, lovingly known by all as “Ma Bear,” attended Sapulpa High School, where she played basketball and helped with the family restaurant. On August 13, 1952, she married John Franklin Bear in Fort Thomas, Arizona, sharing the next 66 years of marriage. 

Ma Bear was an avid bowler, enjoyed softball, and roller skating. She was a devoted OU fan and loved baseball. She especially enjoyed watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren play sports—rarely missing a chance to cheer them on. Charlotte worked in the aviation industry making airplane parts. After 33 years of dedicated service, she retired from Nordam, often joking that she would never fly on an airplane because she knew who made them.

She was known for her strong personality, her unmistakable curled lip when she didn’t like something, and her famously picky eating habits—traits that brought both laughter and fond memories to those who knew her best. Above all, she was deeply devoted to her family and cherished every moment spent with them. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband John Bear, and her sisters Bessie, Ruth, DeeDee, and Betty and her brothers Leonard, Corky, Gilbert, Pete, and Max. She is survived by her daughter Janice Lee of Sapulpa, daughter Kay Kelley and spouse Randy Kelley of Sapulpa, grandchildren Brandi Simpson and spouse Barry of Sapulpa, Bill Lee and wife Jennifer of Sapulpa, Frank Kelley of Sapulpa, and nine great-grandchildren: Dalton and wife Cheyenne, Jersey and wife Hannah, Canyon, Rowdy, Kate, Franklin, and Chance, along with three great-great-grandchildren Timber, Keldon, and Willow. She also leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews. 

Service Information

Viewing: Friday, April 3, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Green Hill Funeral Home

Funeral Service: Monday, April 6th, at 10 a.m. Green Hill Funeral Home

Graveside Service: Oakwood Cemetery, Mounds, Oklahoma

Officiating: Reverend Judy Deere

Pallbearers: Kenneth Ashford, Gavino Morris, Waylon May, and Christian Richards

Reception to follow at 225 Sahoma Lake Road, Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Ma Bear’s warmth, humor, and unwavering love for her family will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who knew her.