Flora Deen Diffie

Flora (Floss) Deen Lowrance Diffie departed this life on November 18, 2020 at the age of 81. Floss was born September 20, 1939 to Margaret and Logan Lowrance. She was a member of the New Hope Baptist Church in Duncan, Oklahoma.

Floss married her high school sweetheart, Joe Riley Diffie, in 1958. They had three children, Joe (Joey) Diffie, Meg Prestidge and Monica Stiles.

A graduate of Velma High School and East Central University, she was a teacher and basketball coach for many years. While teaching in Whitehall, Wisconsin, Floss petitioned the school board in the early 1970s to start a high school girls' basketball league, which is still going strong today. Floss loved working with young people and the sport of basketball, and she always attended any basketball game she could.

Floss owned and operated the Velma Flower Shop, previously owning and operating the successful food stand the Cactus Patch in Turner Falls, Oklahoma.

Floss had such a passion for photography that she decided to enter some of her photos in various contests. Her work did not go unnoticed as evidenced by the many awards she won for her photographs, and one photograph was published in a national magazine. Floss enjoyed photography so much that she began a local camera club, organizing trips for its members to take scenic pictures.

Floss was active in several community organizations. She served as president of the GFC Owl Club of Duncan, and was a member of the Lions Club of Velma and the Stephens County Art Council. Floss was the fan club president for her son, country artist Joe Diffie.

Floss loved Christmas and always made sure Christmas music was playing in her car throughout the year. Her home even featured a bedroom decorated in a Christmas theme.

Floss co-wrote and published two family cookbooks that contained recipes from almost her entire family. One cookbook was with her son Joey and the other was to help her husband's family raise money for the care and maintenance of Jones Valley.

Floss spent hours working on these projects, and it wasn't for herself because she never profited from these works. Instead it was her ingenious way to create a project that not only was family member-inclusive, but also allowed her to share her family members with those who would eventually own the cookbook.

Floss also wrote several children's books and always intended to get her work published.

Her accomplishments reflect the boundless energy she poured into her family through her photographs, artwork and writings. Her creativity was simply endless.

Floss is survived by her daughters, Meg Prestidge and husband Ty of Yukon, and Monica Stiles and husband Keith of Franklin, Tennessee; 13 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Kitty Beavers and husband Charley of Duncan and Angie Wishert and husband Ron of Tulsa, Oklahoma; brothers, Vernon Lowrance and wife Barbara of Phoenix, Arizona, and Bruce Lowrance and wife Leigh Ann of Kingston, Oklahoma; along with many nieces and nephews who loved their "Aunt Floss."

She was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret and Logan Lowrance; her husband Joe, and son Joe (Joey) Diffie.

Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at Yanda & Son Funeral Home, 1500 W Vandament, Yukon, Oklahoma. Floss' dear pastor, Randy Sutherland, will officiate the services. Services may be viewed on the Yanda & Son Funeral Home Facebook page.

Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 25 in the Jones Valley family cemetery in Caddo Gap, Arkansas.