Yolande Lea (Royer) Breaden

Memorial service for Yolande Lea (Royer) Breaden, 87, of Lawton will be at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 24, 2019 at Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor John Webb, of Cache Christian Church officiating. 

Mrs. Breaden passed away on Monday, June 17, 2019 in Lawton.

Yolande, affectionately known as "The Bird Lady of Lawton" was born on May 10, 1932 in Orleans, France. She grew up in France where she attended school, but was unable to complete her education due to World War II. She married Arthur Breaden, a United States Army soldier. They were stationed in many locations: New Mexico, California, Texas, Germany, Turkey, Alaska, Kansas, Delaware, and Oklahoma. Mr. Breaden retired from the Army in 1975. Art and Yolande established the Breaden Wildlife Rehab Center in Lawton, Oklahoma to care for and release injured birds of prey, but they also accepted any injured animal. The couple worked with local organizations including the Fort Sill Fish and Wildlife, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and the City of Lawton. Yolande and son Wallie conducted Wildlife educational programs for Lawton school children, the Refuge and local organizations. The Center is still run by her son, Wallie Breaden.  

Yolande is survived by sons, Wallie Breaden and Dan Breaden and wife Nancy Breaden, all of Lawton, Oklahoma; three brothers, Luc, Silvan, and Gerard Royer of France; grandchildren, Roxann Bogart, Shanna and husband, Ian Solstad, Adam and wife, Aleisha Abston; and great grandchildren, Ashleigh and Ryan Bogart, Taylor Stephens, and Kitanna and Gwenivere Abston.  

She is preceded in death by her parents of France; husband, Arthur who passed away on October 10, 1995; two sons, Arthur Andre' and Norman who died at birth; and a sister, who passed away during World War II.        

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Breaden Wildlife Center at 1908 NW 66th Circle, Lawton, Oklahoma 73505.

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