Olelia was bussed to the Mayfield Model country school outside of Mayfield, Kentucky, a great school, grades 1-6. Later her family moved from Farmington to 314 Pryor Street, Mayfield, Kentucky where she attended Dunbar Junior High and Dunbar High School where she held office assistant to the school principal.
She helped her mother with canning tomatoes, peaches, and green beans. Olelia was a cheerleader and active in school plays. She was always the first child to race across the school yard to the recreation hall where she would dance during her 30-minute recess period, because she loved to dance!!
Olelia asked her father John, “Where did my name come from?” He replied that he met a lady by that name while serving as a barber in the Army during World War I. He told the lady that he liked her name because it was unusual and vowed to someday give the name to his own daughter. He later named his second daughter Olelia.
Later, Olelia married W.H.T. “Mickey” Stubblefield, a legend of the Kansas City Monarchs, and they raised their family of ten in McCook, Nebraska.
Olelia loved to play cards (Bid Whist), even when losing a game, and she loves the blues especially listening to Johnnie Taylor and Little Milton. Her favorite actress was Hattie McDaniel from “Gone With the Wind”. Lastly, she loved to shop.
Olelia resided in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she was employed with the Lincoln Public School System, later the Department of Motor Vehicles, from which she retired after many years of service. Olelia served in many organizations and is a former Vice President and member of the “National Council of Negro Women”; Board member of the Nebraska Planned Parenthood; member of the Lancaster County Commission of Women, and had a lifetime PTA Membership in the Lincoln Public Schools. She also held a position on the Lincoln Police Department Citizen Advisory Board.
Olelia was always a woman of God and a member of the “Church of Christ”.
She is preceded in death by her husband, W.H.T. “Mickey” Stubblefield; daughter Christy (Stubblefield) Harris; and son Stephen “Third World Oforah” (Stubblefield). Olelia leaves to carry on her legacy and memories through eight children: Six daughters: Janice Woody; Mary Arvin (Archie); Angela Smail (Bob); Risé Nielsen (Ron); Valerie Stubblefield; Julia Stubblefield; and Two sons: Mickey Stubblefield (Cheryl); Dennis Stubblefield. Also left to cherish her memory are Olelia’s 22 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.
Funeral Services are to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025 at Roper and Sons South Chapel, 3950 Hohensee Drive in Lincoln.
A visitation with family greeting friends will be held from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, 2025 also at Roper and Sons South Chapel. Family will also be greeting friends 1 hour prior to the funeral service.
Memorials to the family for future designation.