Faye was born in Knox City, Texas. As an only child during the Depression, her father was in need of work and fortunately, an oil company came to their small town where he was offered a job. Her father was a very successful man in the oil industry; he was a driller and worked for many companies. But from that point on, her small family began to move around and lived all over Midwest America and even into some of Canada for a few years. By the time Faye graduated from Lawton High School, she had attended 38 schools! She said she wouldn’t have survived all of the schooling without her mom, who tutored her. With not many options for women in the working field at this time, Faye chose to continue her education and get a nursing degree from Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, Texas, and her parents decided to move from Texas to Colorado, and she would happily visit on holidays and breaks.
Around 1958, Faye interviewed and then worked for the VA Hospital in Dallas for 32 years as VA Nurse, with a specialty in Psychiatry, which she practiced for the last 20 years of her career.
The VA opened a psychiatric unit where Faye was asked to help organize and set it up. As a result of her work, she was promoted to head nurse. The last 3 years at the VA she moved into the outpatient treatment center. Upon retirement Faye had a total of 32 years.
Faye had left the VA for a few years and went to Salt Lake City, Utah to work in the Latter Day Saint Hospital operating room. She worked with doctors doing open heart surgery in its beginning developing stages. The work was most challenging and interesting as they were filming to use the new techniques to teach and train other hospitals. Even though she loved the work, Faye got homesick for her friends in Dallas and went back to work at the VA. Once back home her friends introduced her future husband, Sam, on a blind date. They dated for a year and a half and then married.
Sam was born and raised in Tulsa. He worked for Skinner Brothers, who manufacture oil equipment. He was drafted during the end of World War II and was in the Army and went over to the Aleutian Islands. After the war ended, his name was still on the active list to go to Korea but he never got the call, so he moved back to Tulsa and got his old job back. They sent him to Dallas office to set up a Skinner Brother Office. Upon retiring Sam had 42 years with the company.
During Sam and Faye’s early years of their marriage, they traveled a lot for work and vacation. When they retired, they bought RV and traveled all over the United States! In the winter months, they would go stay in South Texas in places like South Padre Island, to avoid the winter and snow and enjoy the sunshine and heat. They used to belong to many Tulsa dance groups, including the Elks Lodge. Faye is an Ambassador at the Tulsa airport through RSVP and has received her 20 year certificate! She also enjoys Owasso Red Hat Association. Sam has a membership with the Tulsa VFW Post 577 and American Legion Post 1 and Claremore Elks Lodge # 1230 and Faye is in the ladies auxillary in all of those! Well done!
The Brown’s lived southwest of Sperry on an 1 ½ acres of land before moving to University Village in July 2015 and jumped right in with the community activities. Faye is in the Drama Club and both are on the Wii bowling team.
“We love the atmosphere here. The landscape is beautiful and the environment is always so cheery and bright! Nothing dim or sad about it but a very welcoming place. The staff is wonderful and they are faithful to their word! This is the beginning to the rest of our life here,” Faye said about University Village.
They had 2 sons, both of whom have passed unexpectedly. They are grateful to have their grandson and his family living in Dallas that they enjoy getting with. Sam and Faye celebrated their 52nd anniversary last August. “We will never know why things happen to us and I don’t think it’s meant for us to know. We’ve always been the type of people who look on the bright side of things, have good attitudes and are always trying to grow from our experiences. There’s something to learn from each one and there’s people to help every step of the way if you’ll reach out,” Faye said.
Amazing couples like the Browns are one of many examples of wonderful, well-rounded residents living at University Village! We love having them here and a part of our family. If you would like information on senior living in Tulsa or senior living communities in Tulsa OK, contact us here.
