Ms. Wynona B was the 2008 recipient of the “Helping Hands Award” from Tabitha Baptist Church. Wynona has spent her lifetime serving others, particularly through her culinary expertise. Growing up on a farm near Tecumseh, Oklahoma, Ms. B raised cattle and chickens alongside her nine brothers and sisters. She was an active participant in the 4-H Club learning to work with animals, can food, sew and embroidery. Her favorite has always been baking.
Wynona retired last May after 58 years of managing the kitchen at Tabitha Baptist. She has prepared meals for hundreds of people at funerals, parties and family gatherings. Everything Wynona bakes is from scratch. For an average event, this chef would prepare 33 cakes, 1,400 rolls, 18 briskets, 20 hams, and 500 chickens! Church members say Ms. B provides the finest culinary they have ever experienced.
In addition to cooking for her church, Wynona serves a traditional Sunday meal each week for her three children and three grandchildren. Her kids come from around the metro to enjoy family time and mama’s cooking. They still call Wynona’s house, where they all grew up, their home. Wynona lives in the home she purchased with her late husband in the 1950’s. Wynona met Mr. B at a basketball game. He was playing ball and she was selling donuts. The couple married in 1955 and moved to OKC for his job. Her husband passed in 1999.
Wynona’s children have offered to move her, but she is content staying in her own home. She is not yet ready to give up her independence. Her independence led her to take financial classes from a community college and she learned to better manager her single household. Though she doesn’t cook for Tabitha Baptist anymore, Ms. B is still active in the church choir and enjoys participating in church events. And she will continue to cook for her kids as long as she possibly can.
On Rebuilding Day a volunteer team will remodel Wynona’s home. The team will remove clutter and paint to give Wynona easier mobility.
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