1914
Mildred
2009
Mildred B. Drumm
April 7, 1914 — December 8, 2009
Mildred Belle Anderson: A Pioneer’s Life Journey
Laguna Vista, TX:
Born on April 7, 1914 to Jim and Lela Anderson on a farm just outside Durant, Oklahoma, Mildred was raise on a cotton farm with two sisters and one brother. The family left Durant in 1920 for the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The Andersons faced a very long journey with no paved roads and no road at all through the now well known King Ranch. The family camped out in army forts and compounds along the way with the disturbing sounds of wild animals and gunshots sometimes in the distance. Mildred’s father always slept outside the tent with his shotgun to protect the family from potential dangers. At times he fished with a tree limb to feed his children. They endured a long and tiring pilgrimage filled with car trouble and lasting nearly a month.
The family arrived in the Rio Grande Valley just in time to begin school in September. They rented a house while one was being built in Rangerville, close to the river south of San Benito. When the house was completed, Jim farmed cotton and vegetables to support the family. The children shared in the farm work and household chores, milking cows daily and attending school in San Benito. Mildred played basketball and baseball and all the children graduated from San Benito High School.
After graduation, Mildred married C.A. Ricketts who was a heavy equipment operator. He dug several of the valley’s canals, built many levees in the area and the floodway in Mercedes. Mildred and C.A. went on to have two children, James Lloyd and Oletta Faye.
Mildred began work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1944 in Donna, Texas. She began as an operator and worked her way up to Chief Operator of the Donna District. She continued her career for thirty-five years, and meanwhile James and Faye both completed school. Mildred was a leader in the Donna community, very active in the Eastern Star and Rebekahs, and other clubs and organizations including the local fire department. The family usually had a weekly cookout and life in the forties and fifties in this small Texas town could be likened to the pleasantness of Mayberry, U.S.A.
Mildred was very firm with the children, making sure they learned the responsibilities of caring for the home and helping with daily chores. Curfews were strictly enforced in the Rickett’s household and lateness was not well received. Faye would often try to get in past curfew by turning the car off and coast into the drive only to see the porch light go on and off, reminding her to get inside! The children grew and began families of their own.
In the late sixties, Mildred and her now ailing husband left the Rio Grande Valley to live in Rosenberg, Texas to be closer to the children: Faye in Houston and James in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She continued working in the BelAire telephone office and retired a few years later.
In 1981 she bought a house in nearby Alvin, Texas where she acquired many new friends and remained active in the Eastern Star Lodge, Alvin Rebekahs and joined the Baptist church. Among her closest friends are Tommie and Paul Williamson who shared many of her interests.
Mildred is survived by her daughter-in-law Mavis Ann Ricketts and her grown children Debbie with son Nathan, Jamie and Brenda with daughter Hailey; her daughter Oletta Faye (Duane) Armstrong and her grown children, Cindy (David) and daughters Shayla and Taryn and son Alex; Susan (Lee); Robin (Tim) with great granddaughter Ella. Her great grandson Josh has also given her four great great grandchildren, Zoey, Clay, Weston, Austin; her great granddaughter Shayla gave her Kylah, a great great granddaughter. Mildred’s surviving family also includes nieces, Frances Lauren, Marvene, Joyce, Dorothy, Nancy and her nephew Bobby and numerous great nieces and nephews. Most of the family resides in the Southern states including Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Graveside services were held at Highland Cemetery in Durant, Oklahoma on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 2 p.m.
The family invites you to sign the online guestbook or leave a memory at www.buck-ashcraft.com.
Arrangements are with Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home in Harlingen, Texas.
Laguna Vista, TX:
Born on April 7, 1914 to Jim and Lela Anderson on a farm just outside Durant, Oklahoma, Mildred was raise on a cotton farm with two sisters and one brother. The family left Durant in 1920 for the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The Andersons faced a very long journey with no paved roads and no road at all through the now well known King Ranch. The family camped out in army forts and compounds along the way with the disturbing sounds of wild animals and gunshots sometimes in the distance. Mildred’s father always slept outside the tent with his shotgun to protect the family from potential dangers. At times he fished with a tree limb to feed his children. They endured a long and tiring pilgrimage filled with car trouble and lasting nearly a month.
The family arrived in the Rio Grande Valley just in time to begin school in September. They rented a house while one was being built in Rangerville, close to the river south of San Benito. When the house was completed, Jim farmed cotton and vegetables to support the family. The children shared in the farm work and household chores, milking cows daily and attending school in San Benito. Mildred played basketball and baseball and all the children graduated from San Benito High School.
After graduation, Mildred married C.A. Ricketts who was a heavy equipment operator. He dug several of the valley’s canals, built many levees in the area and the floodway in Mercedes. Mildred and C.A. went on to have two children, James Lloyd and Oletta Faye.
Mildred began work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1944 in Donna, Texas. She began as an operator and worked her way up to Chief Operator of the Donna District. She continued her career for thirty-five years, and meanwhile James and Faye both completed school. Mildred was a leader in the Donna community, very active in the Eastern Star and Rebekahs, and other clubs and organizations including the local fire department. The family usually had a weekly cookout and life in the forties and fifties in this small Texas town could be likened to the pleasantness of Mayberry, U.S.A.
Mildred was very firm with the children, making sure they learned the responsibilities of caring for the home and helping with daily chores. Curfews were strictly enforced in the Rickett’s household and lateness was not well received. Faye would often try to get in past curfew by turning the car off and coast into the drive only to see the porch light go on and off, reminding her to get inside! The children grew and began families of their own.
In the late sixties, Mildred and her now ailing husband left the Rio Grande Valley to live in Rosenberg, Texas to be closer to the children: Faye in Houston and James in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She continued working in the BelAire telephone office and retired a few years later.
In 1981 she bought a house in nearby Alvin, Texas where she acquired many new friends and remained active in the Eastern Star Lodge, Alvin Rebekahs and joined the Baptist church. Among her closest friends are Tommie and Paul Williamson who shared many of her interests.
Mildred is survived by her daughter-in-law Mavis Ann Ricketts and her grown children Debbie with son Nathan, Jamie and Brenda with daughter Hailey; her daughter Oletta Faye (Duane) Armstrong and her grown children, Cindy (David) and daughters Shayla and Taryn and son Alex; Susan (Lee); Robin (Tim) with great granddaughter Ella. Her great grandson Josh has also given her four great great grandchildren, Zoey, Clay, Weston, Austin; her great granddaughter Shayla gave her Kylah, a great great granddaughter. Mildred’s surviving family also includes nieces, Frances Lauren, Marvene, Joyce, Dorothy, Nancy and her nephew Bobby and numerous great nieces and nephews. Most of the family resides in the Southern states including Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Graveside services were held at Highland Cemetery in Durant, Oklahoma on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 2 p.m.
The family invites you to sign the online guestbook or leave a memory at www.buck-ashcraft.com.
Arrangements are with Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home in Harlingen, Texas.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mildred B. Drumm, please visit our flower store.