Matilda O’Kelly

Matilda (Tillie) Ann O’Kelley was born in Bowling Green KY on January 11, 1946. She spent most of her early life in Miami OK, graduating from high school there in 1964. She married William (Bill) O’Kelley on October 20, 1995. Tillie passed from this Earth on April 5, 2026 surrounded by her loving husband, friends, and family.

Tillie is survived by her husband Bill O'Kelley of Arcadia LA.

She is also survived by her children Lori & Ted Cox of Purcell OK, Robert & Adreanna Tarwater of San Antonio TX, Kim Fluegge of Shreveport LA, Julie & Brian Wiggins of HaughtonLA.

Tillie was dearly loved by her grandchildren Gavin & Jessica Edington, Landon Edington, James Cox, Nathan Tarwater, Addison Tarwater, Caden Tarwater, Collin Wiggins, Lauren Fluegge, and Parker Fluegge.

She was also blessed by her great-grandchild, Davis Edington.

Her sister Florene Brumley of Miami OK, and her brother and sister-in-law Jim and Donna Smith of Bixby OK, also mourn her loss.

She was preceded in death by her parents Jess N & Holland B Smith and sister Betty Mullins.

Tillie was an avid traveler and loved anything with color – the brighter the better. This showed in her art, her home, and her clothes...and even (sometimes) her language.

She and Bill met on a scuba diving trip in 1992 and that was it for them, marrying in Oct 1995. Life was scuba trips and exploring small towns throughout Mexico and enjoying life with her best friend. Loving all forms of art and intense colors like she did meant learning all she could about underwater photography, which became one of her many artistic passions.

Throughout her life, Tillie explored many different media in her art. Originally, she preferred painting with oils, then moved to watercolors. Most recently, she turned to pencil sketching on her iPad, which kept her busy most nights. She was known locally, nationally, and even internationally for her stained glass, her bespoke glass beads (largely for children), and her hand-craftedjewelry. She has many one-of-a-kind stained-glass projects displayed proudly in churches and homes around the world. Using her crafting skills, she also worked on restoration and fabrication in many areas, and with her history working with many different painting methods, she was able to turn an original photo of a beloved pet into a stunningly lifelike work of glass.

Tillie also turned her love of art into service, becoming an active member with Left Coast Glass Works Studio, holding offices and attending conferences for more than 15 years. Additionally, she gave back to her community by teaching continuing education classes at LA Tech from 2003-2008.Tille was an avid (and very competitive) card/game player, with weekly matches with friends or just her and Bill on any given night. She taught many a friend a variety of games at her kitchen table…while working tirelessly to beat them every chance she could get.

She loved flowers and hummingbirds – she always kept the feeders filled to attract as many of the beauties as possible. Her love for animals shone most brightly through her penchant to always provide a loving home to any dog or cat that needed her. Her beloved pets over the years are too numerous to name, but we know she is scratching all their bellies on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

Tillie enjoyed her life and deeply loved her family and friends. She was opinionated and never missed a chance to share just what those opinions were. Regardless if you agreed or disagreed, it didn't matter – in the end, you also knew that she loved you and wanted the best for you…always.