Clentis Elliff

Clentis Captola Elliff was born on August 4, 1934 in Rush Springs, OK to Samuel Malone and Minnie Lee (Stuckey) Norton and departed this life in Oklahoma City, OK on June 10, 2020 at the age of 85 years, 10 months and 6 days.

Raised by her adoptive parents, Joe and Mattie McCoy, Clentis grew up in the Hulen area attending Walters Public Schools. She graduated from WHS in 1951 and then from Cameron College in 1953 with an Associate Degree in Secretarial Arts. She then worked for Cotton County DHS until 1955. She married Don Abbott on June 5 of that year and opted to stay home for a time. She eventually returned to Cameron University and completed her BS in Elementary Education in 1973.

Clentis didn’t teach long and ended up back at DHS. She was a social worker in Child Services and eventually worked her way to Supervisor of Social Services and on February 2, 1987, was named the Director of DHS in Cotton County. In January of 1978 she had married James Elliff and he preceded her in death in 1992. She retired from DHS that same year.

Clentis was a member of the Lions Club. She enjoyed playing the piano, doing crochet and playing scrabble.

She was preceded in death by all 9 of her siblings; her husband James Elliff; a grandson, David Heaverin; and a daughter, Donna Czerniecki.

Survivors include a son, Larry Abbott of Bangkok, Thailand; a daughter, Prinda Czerniecki of Lawton, OK; 4 grandchildren, Vivian Silverstrim, Adam Heaverin, Sara McLaughlin and Eric Ott all of Lawton; great grandchildren, Abigael, Noah, Alexia, Allison, Austin, Elijah, Zaiyn, Ian, Owen and Lincoln.

Arrangements were entrusted to Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home in Walters. A private memorial for family will be held at a later time.