Zada Lea Browder

Zada Lea Thompson Browder was born on December 29, 1934, to John Frank Thompson and Thelma Jesse Washam Thompson, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A few years later, her beloved sister, Dona Sue, joined their family. Zada had a wonderful childhood despite the hard times of the Great Depression and World War II. She later shared stories of riding the bus downtown to visit her mother at work, and the oil wells on her school playground. The family enjoyed adventurous car trips to visit relatives who had moved to California. She died July 11, 2020, in Seven Oaks Nursing Home in Bonham at the age of 85 years. Zada met Lewis Eugene Browder at Oklahoma State University, and they were married on December 14, 1954. They were married for 60 years. Zada and Lewis lived in Manhattan, Kansas from 1958 to 2012, when they moved to Leonard, Texas. Zada was the busy mother of three children; Judy Lynn, Kelly Joe, and Timothy Mark, and later a devoted grandmother of five. She adored them all. She was generous, kind, and loyal to her extended families and to her many church and community friends. Her home was the venue for innumerable Sunday dinners, quilting bees, and showers; and a favorite destination for grandchildren. Zada was very talented at working with her hands. These talents seemingly had few limits! They ranged from typing PhD theses while in the midst of a boisterous family home, to cake decorating, painting, sewing, and knitting. Everything Zada made was beautiful. Family members enjoyed the benefits as did customers at craft and art shows around Kansas. After her children were grown, Zada worked as a bookkeeper, and as a salesperson at Country Gift Shop, where she found an additional circle of friendship. Zada is survived by her sister, Dona Sue Anderson of Bethany, Oklahoma; her daughter, Judy Shaw and Tom Shaw of Leonard; her son, Kelly Browder and Marie Browder of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and her son, Tim Browder and Cindy Evans of Topeka, Kansas. Her grandchildren: Timothy "TJ" Browder of Kansas City, Missouri, Benjamin Shaw and Grace BaiShaw of Leonard, Jamie Holland and Jimmie Holland of Spring Hill, Tennessee, Whitney Shaw and Mike Hiser of Carrollton, Texas, and Andrew Browder of Kansas City, Missouri. Her great-grandchildren: Rylie Jo Holland, Kenneth James Holland, Landry Lynn Hiser, Holden Edward Bai-Shaw. Zada was preceded in death by her infant twin, her parents, and her husband. Graveside Service will be held Friday, July17, 2020, 9:30AM at the Leonard Cemetery.