Lula “Johnnie Mae” Bettelyoun, age 90, passed away Jan. 3, 2026. Johnnie Mae was born May 16, 1935, at home in Little Axe, OK, to Charley Herbert and Catherine (Longman) Masquat. She was raised in Little Axe and spent most of her adult life living in Norman and Shawnee and made her home in Tecumseh for the last 16 years.
Johnnie Mae worked for Griffin Memorial Hospital for 30 years as a mental health aide. After retiring from Griffin, she worked for the Absentee Shawnee Tribe Title VI Department for another 20 years. She was a proud member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, and she was honored by AARP for “Elder of the Year”.
Johnnie Mae was preceded in death by her parents, Charley and Catherine Masquat; two brothers, George Masquat and Larry Wayne Brown; two sisters, Charlene Atwell and Judith Wood; three sons, Rickey Lee Masquat, Charles Lester “Buff” Bettelyoun, and Lester John “Cub” Bettelyoun Jr.
She is survived by her three daughters, Lea Dawn Bettelyoun of Tecumseh, OK, Sonia Elaine Rich of Moore, OK, and Sofia Evelyn Fowler of Shawnee, OK; son, Isaac “Spike” Bettelyoun of Shawnee, OK; 17 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren; three sisters, Matilda Thorpe, Mary McGuire, and Cheryl Masquat; and many other extended family and friends.
Services were held Jan. 7, 2026. Brother Victor Cope officiated.
