Jessie Fern Kauk

Funeral Services for Jessie Fern Kauk, 91, longtime Butler, Hammon and Leedey resident will be held 10:00 A.M., Friday, September 2, 2016 in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel, officiated by Tom Harguess. Burial will conclude in the Butler Cemetery under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Jessie Fern (Payne) Higgins-Kauk was born February 26, 1925 to Fred H. "Jack" Payne and Ruby (Edwards) Payne in Butler, Oklahoma and passed away Tuesday, August 30th in the Corn Heritage Village in Corn, OK. Fern was raised in Butler and attended Pie Flat Country School. She was married to Elmo Higgins on August 7, 1940 in Wheeler, TX. They made their homes in Butler and Hammon where they farmed. She also owned and operated a café in Hammon as well as working at the Hammon School as a teacher's assistant. She later married Delbert Kauk on December 13, 1969 in Elk City and in the 1980's they made their home in Leedey. She has been a resident of Angelwood Living Center and Methodist Health Care Center before going to Corn. She is a member of the Leedey Church of Christ, she enjoyed quilting, ceramics, and she enjoyed long walks and spending time with her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Delbert Kauk in January of 2014, son, Jackie Higgins, granddaughter, Amy Switzer Jones, two sisters, Muriel Higgins and Beverly George and an infant brother, Billy Payne. She is survived by a daughter, Connie Gass, of Hammon, son, Gary Higgins and wife, Deborah, of Elk City; three step daughters, Deanna Harris and husband, Don, of Weatherford, OK, Rhonda Kauk, of Lubbock, TX and Janet Switzer and husband, Gary, of Leedey, OK; a sister, Elaine Bailey, of Clinton. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Ricky Higgins, Bobby Higgins, Kelli Leverett, Debbie Spikes, Heath Higgins, John Paul Gass, Kimbre Danielson, Darin Higgins, Dena Bass, Dana Bradford, Darrell Switzer and Amber Mayes; 21 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.