Alberta Elizabeth Hart Groden, a former Miss Phillips 66 and lover of animals, died on June 17 in Tulsa, Okla. She was 88 years old.


Born in Tulsa on Nov. 26, 1936, Alberta was known to her family as "Bert" and to many of her friends as "Liz." The third child of five, she was the second daughter of Albert Lee Hart and Beulah Mary Limke Hart.


Bert grew up in Tulsa, where she enjoyed high school cheerleading and earned the title of Miss Phillips 66. Her love of animals began in childhood, when she took care of many beloved pets. Little did she know, but she would also meet the love of her life, Dale Groden, in childhood. While their paths diverged for many years, they eventually reunited and married in 1998.


The vibrant and always stylish Tulsa native was also a devoted Catholic and a 50-year parishioner of the Church of Saint Mary, regularly attending Mass and rosary adorations. She was also a caring daughter, sister and aunt who worked at her brother-in-law Paul Messick's company Messick Construction. Prior to that, she worked at Tyler Dawson Supply Co.


Family and friends also knew Bert as kind-hearted and loving, and her generous spirit didn't stop with people. She also had a great love of animals, welcoming a variety of cats, dogs, birds and even an injured squirrel she named Rocky into her home. That's in addition to the koi fish that swam in her backyard pond and her beloved blue-eyed cat Tippy. Tippy even served as the star of a children's story Bert wrote about the kitten's journey from his original home in Mississippi.


Bert is preceded in death by her parents, Beulah and Albert; her husband, Dale; her brothers Wyman Hart and Marshall Hart; her sister Deloris Hart Messick and husband Paul; and her nephew, Dean Messick.


She is survived by her sister, Mary Conaleeta "Connie" Hart Kearbey, whom she named, and husband Jack; nieces Paula Viseur and husband Mike, and Laura Clark; great nephews and nieces Grant Golliver and wife Jenny, Matt Golliver, Elizabeth Messick and husband Drew Parkinson, John Paul Messick and wife Sarah, Caroline Clark and William Clark; great-great nephews and nieces Cash and Charlize Golliver, Preston and Victoria Golliver; and Ava, Hayes and Mila Messick; and sisters-in-law Georgia Hart and Donna Hart.


Bert is also survived by Dale's sons, Randy and Chris (Danna) Groden, Bobby Dale (Jeanette) Corban; daughters, Lisa Carpenter (Steve), Cindy (Denny) Pratt; and grandchildren, David, Tara and Anna Groden, Molly and Henry Carpenter, Logan and Tanner Pratt; Dale's sister, Betty Jo Jordan and her daughter, Debbie McLeod; and her best friend, Jan Thompson.