D'Liza (Tate) Wilkerson

D’Liza Don Wilkerson, age 62, passed away peacefully in the evening of Monday, June 24th, 2019 after a yearlong battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was surrounded by her loved ones who prayed, sang, laughed and reminisced about her life until her very last moments, just how she would have wanted to leave her earthly home.

D’Liza Tate was born on June 27th, 1956 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Donald and El Dea (Reese) Tate. After graduating from Mustang High School in 1974, D’Liza attended Oklahoma State University where she pursued her passion for music and played in the OSU marching band (you may have heard her sing the fight song a time or two). Demonstrating strength and perseverance as a single mother to her two daughters, she obtained her teaching degree in 1991. In her 28 years as an elementary school teacher, she impacted over 1,200 students’ lives who walked through the doors of her classroom. Her students became her “babies” during their time with her. Her school and her classroom were her ministry; her co-workers and her students were her outreach. She created a sense of belonging for so many in the Mustang community, teaching the importance of being kind to others and true to yourself, bringing excitement and fun to learning and life.

From a young age she demonstrated a love of people, wanting to connect and share in every joy this life had to offer. There was nothing quiet about D’Liza. She loved hard and she loved loud, whether it was for her family and friends or her beloved OSU Pokes and 7-11 iced tea. She was an all-consuming presence, ready to start the party with her dance moves and join in on any fun. She believed in the importance of family and faith, and shared her unshakable conviction in Christ daily. Her infectious smile and laugh was a hallmark of her person, and to know D’Liza was to know joy, strength, loyalty, passion, and love. She is survived by her two daughters Amanda Wilkerson and Abby Ku, her brother Danny Tate and sister-in-law Mary Dawn Tate, sister Franna Elmore and brother-in-law Mike Elmore, and her two puppies Molly and Daisy. She was the grandmother to two adored grandchildren Greyson Sloan and Silas Ku. She leaves behind many nieces, cousins, extended family, and close friends. Her presence will be missed dearly, her memories will be cherished forever.

There will be a celebration of life gathering for D’Liza from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM on her birthday, this Thursday, June 27th at Lakehoma Church of Christ in Mustang, OK. Funeral services will be held at North MacArthur Church of Christ in Oklahoma City at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 29 and will be officiated by Tim Lewis. She will be laid to rest at Binger Cemetery in Binger, OK later that afternoon. If you would prefer, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mustang Public Schools Foundation, an organization that supports the community, teachers, and students she so loved. 

Isaiah 51:11 “Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Services: North MacArthur Church of Christ, 9300 N MacArthur Blvd, OKC, OK 73132, Saturday, 1:00 PM, June 29, 2019

Graveside Service: Murray Cemetery, Monday, 3:30 PM, June 29, 2019, Binger, OK

Officiating: Mr. Tim Lewis

 Services entrusted to Turner Funeral Home, Binger, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, turnerfh.net, or you can find us on facebook.com (Turner Funeral Homes).

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