By Cara Cowan Watts | Cherokee 411
May 26, 1933 – June 12, 2026
Oklahoma
Cherokee Nation
Marlene (Wood) Horsman left this world to be with her heavenly Father on June 12, 2026. She was 93 years old. Marlene was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on May 26, 1933, to Artie and Daisy Wood. She grew up in Barnsdall and worked briefly for Phillips Petroleum Company and later Needlewoman. She was united in marriage on February 20, 1954, in Miami, Oklahoma, to her beloved Charles (Bud) Horsman. After marriage, Marlene settled into a wonderful life as a homemaker and the glue that held her family together. As a newly married couple and living on the family farm in Ramona, Marlene worked alongside her husband on weekends “for fun” clearing the property of rocks. She was always a hard worker!
Marlene was a vivacious, intelligent, spunky woman. She had a thirst for knowledge and was often seen reading and researching various topics – especially those related to the Bible and her Christian faith. She read a book a day into her 80s! She enjoyed snow skiing, taught herself how to play an organ, sew for her family, and can produce from her large garden. She created wonderful tole painting art and was an avid birder. Her home was a haven for her children and their friends. As a young mother, she could often be found challenging them to a pool game, ice skating with them on a frozen pond, skiing (both water and snow), or playing a game of “horse” on the driveway with them. She shared her sewing skills by helping to sew basketball warm-ups for one of her daughter’s basketball teams. Marlene was an animal lover – never turning away a stray animal her children brought home – and often restoring wild animals back to health before they were released back into the wild. Squirrels, hawks, opossums, and raccoons were just a few that were saved by Marlene’s healing touch. Marlene often shared her faith with others; she wanted all to know the love of Jesus Christ and the salvation he offers.
As a new season of life emerged, Marlene loved to babysit her grandchildren and could often be found building “tents” out of sheets in the back yard with her grandchildren; She would drop everything to spend time with her family.
