Ilah Jean (Furbee) Gaither a longtime Cushing resident, passed away on Friday, October 16, 2020 with her family by her side at the age of 88.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, 2020 at the Free Will Baptist Church, Cushing, OK. Interment will follow at Tryon Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Palmer Marler Funeral Home.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home.

Ilah was born on October 17, 1931 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to the late John N. and Lula B (Blake) Furbee. She grew up in Oklahoma City and attended school at Capitol Hill High School.  Ilah worked as a Nurse's Aide at Cushing Regional Hospital from 1969 to 1987.  In 1984, Ilah received the Employee of the Year from the hospital.  Ilah married the love of her life Lehman Gaither on February 21, 1967 at the First Free Will Baptist Church by Rev. Wayne Bookout. They attended the Free Will Baptist Church and later the Bible Baptist Church in Stillwater. Ilah and Lehman enjoyed gardening, raising a garden and giving away the fruits of their labor. She also enjoyed traveling with her husband to California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Pennsylvania and Florida.  She was a lifetime member of the VFW and American Legion Lady's Auxiliary.

Ilah is survived by her son, Donnie Lee Hicks and wife Diana of Ripley; brother John Furbee and wife Yongqun Guo-Furbee; three sisters-in-law Linda, Elma, and Darlene Gaither; grandchildren Steven Ray Hicks, Lisa Hicks, Angela Dawn Hicks, William Hicks and wife, Amber, Suzanne Hicks, Allison Hicks, Candace Hicks, Michael Scott Hicks; 18 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ilah is preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, William Leo Hicks; second husband, Lehman Gaither; son William Michael Hicks; daughter Belinda Sue Hicks; great grandson Ryan Mitchell Hicks; sister Katherine Polk; brothers-in-law Olen Gaither, Alvin Gaither, Floyd Gaither, LeRoy Gaither, Wilmer Gaither and Wallace Gaither; sisters-in-law Florence Watts, Celia Mae Watts, Violet Brake and Ruby Box, and Lorene Gaither.