Mildred Wedell, 89, died peacefully in her sleep on Monday, December 5, 2016 at her home in Tulsa. She was born on November 27, 1927 in Gotebo, OK to Carl Betche and Blanche (Isbell) Betche.

Mildred always loved music. Even though she was the oldest daughter in a large family and worked in the cotton fields from a very early age, her parents still arranged for her to have piano lessons as a child. She played clarinet in her high school band and piano for her church as a youth.

Mildred married Hubert L. Wedell on April 26, 1947, and moved to Hominy, OK, where their two children, Kathy and Hubert, were born and raised. She played the organ and piano for the Assembly of God Church in Hominy and she also helped with the children's music ministry.

In the mid-'50s, she began offering accordion lessons out of her home. When enthusiasm for learning the accordion waned, she started teaching piano and was one of only a few who taught piano in the small town of Hominy. For a few years in the '60s she also taught in Ralston and Prue. Over the course of 40 years, she introduced music into the lives of hundreds of children who might not have had such an opportunity otherwise.

In the early '90s, Mildred and Hubert moved to Tulsa. They joined Woodlake Assembly of God Church and were active participants in their Sunday school class and the choir until declining health interfered with their attendance. Her final years were devoted to caring for her husband, who preceded her in death on Valentine's Day 2011 after almost 64 years of marriage.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; three brothers: Loyd Betche, Clyde Betche, and Calvin Betche; one sister, Carolyn Cobo; and her son, Hubert H. Wedell, in 2015.

She is survived by daughter, Kathy Cox and spouse, Nancy Brown; granddaughter, Emily Pauli and spouse, Kevin; granddaughter, Charity Watson and spouse, Roger; great-grandsons, Wyatt and Luke Pauli; sister, Nelda Rybacki and spouse, Clark; sister, Vondilee McCurdy and spouse, Donald; sister, Geneva Howard; sister, Ellaweise Roark; sister, Marilyn Luebke and spouse Roy; as well as cousins and many nieces and nephews.

Viewing will be 12:00 Noon-8:00 PM, Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at Moore's Southlawn, 9350 E. 51st, Tulsa, OK. The funeral service for Mrs. Wedell will be held at at the funeral home on Wednesday, December 7, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at the A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy at 2:00 p.m.