Cora Seal

Cora Seal, 104, of Perry, Oklahoma was the daughter of Polk and Julie Miller. She was born August 14, 1904 in a two room log cabin in Pike County, near Athens, Arkansas and died Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at her home. She was the eldest of six children in her family. Her brothers were Ted Miller, Everett Miller and George Miller and her sisters were Irene Miller and Bessie Miller. Cora also had four half-brothers, Jess Miller, William Miller, Leonard Cates and Louis Cates and one half-sister, Etta Cates. As a young girl, she helped her father at a sorghum mill and she and her siblings worked in the fields alongside their parents. She and Robert Porter were married in 1919 in Pike County Arkansas. One son, William Porter, was born to this marriage. Cora's husband, Robert Porter, died in 1929. In 1932, Cora and Ledrick Peterson were married in Hot Springs, Arkansas. One daughter, Sarah Olena Peterson, was born to this marriage. During the Depression, Cora worked at a cafeacute; in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She later worked for the Works Progress Administration. In 1942, she and Elmer Seal were married in Perry, Oklahoma. One son, Howard Seal, was born to this marriage. Elmer Seal preceded his wife in death in March, 1985. Cora and her husband, Elmer, owned and operated Seal Grocery on East Grove Street in Perry from 1950 until retiring in 1975. She enjoyed fishing, quilting, gardening, canning, baking, embroidering and babysitting her grandchildren. She was an avid reader who especially enjoyed novels and the Reader's Digest magazine. At the age of 100, Cora was chosen Honorary Parade Marshal for the Cherokee Strip Celebration Parade. Graveside services will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 14, 2008 in the Grace Hill Memorial Pavilion at Grace Hill Cemetery at Perry, Oklahoma. Rev. John Vaughan will officiate. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 13, 2008 at Brown-Dugger Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association in care of Brown-Dugger Funeral Home, 1010 N. 7th Street, Perry, Oklahoma 73077. Cora is survived by one son, Howard Seal, of Perry, Oklahoma; one daughter, Sarah Olena Gregg, of Corpus Christi, Texas; two step-sons, Calvin Seal of Lake Wales, Florida and Clifford Seal of San Francisco, California; 16 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer, her parents, one son, William Porter; one step-son, Earl Seal; one step-daughter, Wanda Fischer; three brothers, two sisters, four half-brothers and one half-sister. Condolences may be sent to the family using our online guest book at www.brown-duggerfuneralhome.com.