Lora Mae was the daughter of Willie Jackson Sims & Agnes E. (Wiggins) Sims, born on February 5, 1935, in Stuart, Oklahoma. She was brought up and attended schools in Holdenville. She was married to Jack Barksdale in Poteau, Oklahoma on January 21, 1955. Jack preceded her in death on September 1, 2007.

Lora Mae lived in Holdenville all her adult life. She enjoyed gardening, both food and flowers, and she loved traveling with family. The joy of her life was her family.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Willie & Agnes Sims; her beloved husband of 54 years, Jack Barksdale; three brothers: Carl Sims, Clyde Sims, and Lonnie Sims; two sisters, Annie Lanham and Loneva Russell.

She is survived by two children, Nancy Thetford (Danny) of Holdenville, and Steven Barksdale (Robert Alvardo) of Choctaw; one granddaughter, Nicole Brown (Robert) of Horntown; two great grandchildren, Hunter Brown and Quinn Brown; two brothers, Jessie Sims of Oklahoma City, and Billie Sims of Okmulgee; numerous nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends.

Memorial services were held on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, 1:00 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, with Rev. Abraham Gomez officiating.