Bessie Dell Gregg was born July 1, 1927, youngest of 11 children to Napoleon and Effie (Cotter) Marshall in Hollister, Oklahoma and passed away Thursday, March 29, 2012 at Maple Lawn Manor in Hydro, Oklahoma at the age of 84 years, 8 months, and 29 days.

Bessie was attended Hopewell country school between Hydro and Eakly until the 8th grade. In 1943, she married Kenneth John and in 1950, she married George Ringler, Jr. Bessie was a single mother of five children for nine years. She worked hard to take care of her children. On August 5, 1959, Bessie married Howard Gregg in Hydro, Oklahoma. Bessie and Howard then moved to Climax, Colorado where she worked in a restaurant and he mined. They moved back to Hydro a year later and in 1964, Bessie and Howard had a child together, Melody. They lived on a farm east of Hydro for many years before moving to town. Bessie owned and operated the Dairy King in Hydro for several years. Howard passed away in 1985 after 26 years of marriage. Due to her health Bessie went to live at Maple Lawn Manor in August of 2010. She was a wonderful cook and could sew and quilt and loved to work in her garden.

Bessie is survived by five children and their spouses: Dale and Ruby John and Bobby and Connie Ringler of Hydro, Oklahoma, Linda Ellis of Colony, Oklahoma Gayla McHenry of Weatherford, Oklahoma, and Melody and Todd Morris of Arkansas City, Kansas; one daughter-in-law, Patricia John of Thomas, Oklahoma; one sister-in-law, Loretta Marshall of Hydro, Oklahoma; grandchildren and their spouses: Kevin John and Keri Fry of Hydro, Oklahoma, LaDell Wiles of Hinton, Oklahoma, Michelle and Ricky Gregory of Cordell, Roger and Darla John of Thomas, Oklahoma, Tanja and Jimmy Cole and Tina and Scott Wittmeyer of Weatherford, Oklahoma, Bobbi Jo and Bruce Spitzer of Blair, Oklahoma, Kodi and David Bloomer of Weatherford, Oklahoma, Shauna and Bryan Jarvis of Valdosta, Georgia, Mandi and Chris Hockenbury, Erin and Lauren Morris of Arkansas City, Kansas, and Toby and Shauna McHenry of Melbourne, Australia; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; one son, Dennis John; one grandson, Paul Hicks, Jr.; and her siblings: Mary Marshall, Dora Miller, Ivy Hegner, Clissie Klemme, Nancy Dill, Jewell Marshall, Jessie Marshall, Elvis Marshall, Ernest Marshall, and Dallas Marshall.