Lovel Mankin

Lovel 'Nita' Mankin, age 75, of Enid, Oklahoma, passed away on Friday, September 29, 2017, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Nita was born June 23, 1942, in Macon, Georgia to Homer and Gladys (Reese) McCray. After graduating from high school, Nita was crowned Miss Jefferson City. On October 21, 1961, she married Sam Mankin in Jefferson City, Missouri. The couple made their home in Enid where she earned her Bachelor's from Phillips University and then went on to earn her Master's degree from Northwestern Oklahoma in behavioral science. She was a social worker with DHS for nine years and then was the Director of the Oklahoma Blood Institute for 12 years and also owned and operated the Wagon Wheel with her husband, Sammy from 1959 to 1988. She was a member of the Re-organized Church of Latter Day Saints. She also sold Mary Kay and loved to cook. She is survived by her husband, Sam of the home; sons, Rob Mankin and wife, Kelly of Ashland, Tenn.; Mark Mankin of the home; five grandsons and one granddaughter; three great-grandchildren and one on the way. Also surviving is one brother, Ray McCray of Bradenton, Florida, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Carson. The memorial service for Lovel 'Nita' Mankin will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 4, 2017, in the Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home Chapel, Enid, Okla. Chaplain Gary Miller will officiate. Memorials may be made through Henninger-Hinson to OMRF (pancreatic cancer division).