Ella Joetta (Montgomery) Ledford

Ella Joetta (Montgomery) Ledford passed from this life after a short bout with cancer on November 8, 2021, at her home in Corum with her family by her side.

Joetta was born on October 12, 1943, in Walters, OK to J.C. Montgomery & Katie Moreland. She spent her childhood years in California with her father and stepmother/momma Wanda Montgomery, before the family moved back to Oklahoma when Joetta was 13. She attended Comanche High School. While in school she met the love of her life, Jimmy Ledford. Joetta and Jimmy were married on July 19, 1959, and she would from then on be known to him as “Honey”. The two went on to have three children, Rhonda, Tracie, and Dayne and with these additions, she proudly became “Momma”. Years later, with the birth of their first grandchild, she joyfully turned into “Granny Jo”.

Joetta completed beauty school, working over 60 years as a beauty operator, where she not only displayed her craft but her loving personality and sense of humor to her customers through the years. Joetta was proud of what she had and was never one to want fancy or material things. Though at times she and Jimmy did not have much, she worked tirelessly to raise her family and maintain their home, which she loved to decorate. She always enjoyed working in the flower beds and on her crape myrtles. She loved music and singing and dancing, especially to anything she would call “jivey”. Later in life, she enjoyed going to the casino with family and friends. Above all, Joetta had an unrelenting passion for her family and strived for them to be close-knit. She loved when they would all get together so she could see what she and Jimmy started to grow into a large, loving family. She was always welcoming though, at many times it probably felt as if their home had a revolving door to family members who frequently visited. She constantly took pictures of them and proudly displayed them throughout their home.

Joetta was preceded in death by her parents J.C. and Wanda Montgomery, and birth mother Katie (Moreland) Bibby. She is survived by her loving, spoiled-rotten husband of 62 years, Jimmy Ledford, brothers David Montgomery and his wife Lee of Ardmore, Randy Montgomery and his wife Karin of Duncan; sisters, Ruth Ellen Thompson of King George, VA, Donna Holanda of Centennial, CO, Becky Walker of Atwater, CA, and Robin Loewen of Modesto, CA; daughters Rhonda Ralls of Oklahoma City, Tracie Craven and husband Chris of Marlow, and son Dayne Ledford of Duncan. 6 grandchildren, Jarrod and Chad Ralls, Courtni Cornell and husband Glenn, Kayla Guerra and husband Erik, Melissa Townsend, & Breanna Ledford. 8 great-grandchildren Allie Ledford and Ivey Guerra, Hadley and Zeke Townsend, Leighton and Cason Cornell, Bishop Pelkey, and Alexi Ralls. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and one Best Friend Forever, Doris Shelby of Comanche.
Serving as pallbearers will be Jarrod Ralls, Chad Ralls, Andy Ledford, Gary Ledford, James Gordon, and Chris Craven. Honorary bearers will be Colt Ferrell, Eric Martin, Bud Fye, Jimmy Fye, Billy Wright, Kenny Brooks, and Wayne Barbe.

Celebration of Joetta’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 13, 2021, at Patterson Avenue Baptist Church in Comanche, OK. Pastor John Johnson will be officiating. Viewing for family and friends will be Thursday, November 11 and Friday, November 12, 2021, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Comanche Funeral Home.