Cleta Ann Mize was born May 13, 1932, in McAlester, Oklahoma, and passed away on Sept. 5, 2026, at the age of 94.
Cleta grew up in a small farmhouse as the only girl among seven brothers. Life was not always easy. Her mother passed away when Cleta was in the fifth grade, and at a young age she helped care for her father and brothers.
At 19, she met Joe Mize at church, and they were married on Feb. 2, 1952. Together they raised three children, Jo, Randy, and Judy.
To her family she was Granny, but somehow she became “Granny” to just about everyone who knew her. And Granny was a hugger. Not a quick, polite hug either. When Granny hugged you, you knew you had been hugged.
She loved people, especially children. She taught Sunday school for more than 50 years, eventually teaching alongside her daughter, Judy, her grandchildren and even her great-grandchildren. She traveled overseas on mission trips with her daughter, Jo, loving and teaching children in orphanages. Later, she volunteered alongside her granddaughter, Sunshine, in kindergarten classrooms at Blue Haze Elementary and Stuard Elementary, bringing joy to children through “Cooking with Ms. Cleta.”
But there was nowhere Granny would rather be than with her family.
She was always willing to help in whatever way was needed. She showed up. She listened. She encouraged. She gave. If one of her children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren needed her, Granny found a way to be there. She spent countless years in gyms, at ball fields, golf courses, school events and anywhere else her family happened to be.
She also knew how to have fun. She loved dominoes with her son, Randy, her brother, and her nieces, traveling, laughing, and being surrounded by family.
And then there was skiing.
Granny didn’t learn to snow ski until she was 60 years old. She continued skiing into her 80s and made her final ski trip at 85 with her great-grandchildren. She always hoped she might get just one more run down the mountain with them.
That was Granny. Age was rarely a good enough reason not to do something.
Above everything else, though, were her faith and her family.
Granny didn’t just talk about her faith — she lived it. She taught her family that there were two things that mattered most:
Love God.
Love others.
And for 94 years, that is exactly what she did.
Cleta is survived by her three children, Jo Warren and husband Billy Warren, Randy Mize, and Judy Langham; her grandchildren, Tanner Langham, Sunshine Barry and husband Chad, and B.J. Warren and wife Erin and; seven great-grandchildren; and a large extended family who adored her.
Her family will miss her hugs, her laughter, her encouragement, her faith, her sense of adventure, and most of all, simply knowing that Granny was there.
Her life verse was Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Ninety-four years. Countless hugs. Generations of children taught and loved. And a family forever changed because they were loved by her.
What a life.
A Celebration of Life honoring Cleta Ann “Granny” Mize will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at Solid Rock Church.
Viewing is from 10 to 10:30 a.m. A celebration of life service will be from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Interment will be at 12:30 p.m. at Laurel Land Cemetery
In lieu of flowers, the family invites those wishing to honor Granny’s memory to donate to one of the following organizations:
LIFE’s Christmas Shoe Project, Children’s Advocacy Center of Parker County, or Saving Hope Animal Rescue.
These causes reflect something that was at the heart of Granny’s life—loving and caring for children.
