Funeral for Beatrice Arkeketa Griffin, 96, Lawton will be at 10:00 AM Thursday at Faith Bible Church with Rev. Leonard Reimer, pastor officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home. On July 27, 1916 Beatrice Griffin was born to Peter V. Arkeketa and Emma B. Wyatt in Anadarko, Oklahoma. During her early years she attended several schools: Riverside Indian School, Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha and Haskell Institute in Kansas. It was while attending Haskell Institute that she met and married Sidney Pierce Griffin and moved to Quapaw, Oklahoma. Sidney and Beatrice had five children. Four children were born while living in Quapaw. During her years in Quapaw she worked in her home, raising her children and taking care of family. In 1948 she moved to Lawton, Oklahoma because that is where her mother Emma Wyatt Moses was living. After their move to Lawton, Beatrice and Sidney had their fifth child. After the passing of her husband, and at the age of 50 years old in 1964, Beatrice attended nursing school in Lawton where she became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She practiced nursing at the old Southwestern Hospital and at the Indian Hospital for 20 years. During her years as an LPN she was recognized as nurse of the month on two separate occasions. After she retired at the age of 70, she continued to be more involved with her church, Faith Bible Church. Throughout her time at church she was involved with the Women's Missionary Circle, Vacation Bible School and teaching Sunday School. She sang in the church choir and was actively involved in all church events throughout her life in Lawton. Even up until her mid 90's Beatrice was involved with AWANA, a children's group at church where she listened and helped young children memorize Bible verses every Wednesday evening. She was a great prayer warrior who always loved reading her Bible. Beatrice loved her family and loved to travel. She looked forward to trips to California and Boise, Idaho. She loved driving "west" and seeing the beauty of the desert. She has traveled through almost every state North and West of Oklahoma and enjoyed every single minute of looking out the window and seeing the country. She particularly loved the beauty of Moab, Utah. Possibly her favorite quick trips were to Branson, MO where she especially enjoyed the show of "Shoji Tabuchi". She enjoyed the Cajun seafood of New Orleans while traveling to vacation on the beaches of Destin, Florida. In 2006 at the age of 89, she traveled through North Carolina, up to and through New York and on into Canada. Some of her highlights included a Broadway Musical, Statue of Liberty, sight seeing all of New York, even going to the top of the Empire State Building. She loved the country side and crossing over into Canada. Traveling by boat she was able to see Niagara Falls up close. Although she loved the big vacations, she always looked forward to trips back to the Tulsa, Miami and Quapaw area to visit friends and family. Beatrice loved the Lord. Anyone and everyone who met or knew her could testify to the sweet, sweet spirit this wonderful lady displayed. Galatians 5:22 tells of the "Fruit of the Spirit". This is how we witnessed Grandma live every day of her life with Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Goodness and Faithfulness. She went to be with the Lord May 26th at 5:20 p.m. where she received her crown of jewels and heard "good job, faithful servant." She will be greatly missed. She is survived by five children and their spouses, Sidney and Jackie Griffin, Boise, Idaho, Anna "Susie and Billy Yoast, Lawton, William "Bill" and Ines Griffin, Catoosa, Raymond Griffin, Miami and Emma Lou "Debbie" Griffin, Lawton, grandchildren and their spouses, Stacia Joy Griffin-Hunter and her husband Jimmy Hunter, Porterville, California, Lisa Kay and Russ Whitney, Boise, Idaho, Marcia Lynn and Gill Johnson, Clovis, California, Linda Yoast, Lawton, Suzanne and Mike McKee, Lawton, Albert Griffin and Carrie Griffin, Tulsa, and Elizabeth Griffin, Tulsa. Also Toby Blackstar and Daniel Cox. She is also survived by great grandchildren, James Anthony "Jas" Strong, Emily and Rebecca Whitney, Pavin and Wyatt Johnson, Mitchell, Harrison, Samuel and Jonathan McKee, Sydney and Samuel Griffin and Nathaniel Griffin. She was preceded in death by her husband, all of her siblings, one granddaughter, Cheryl Sue Yoast and one grandson, William L. "Billy" Griffin, Jr., U.S. Marine.