System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Evelyn Durkee
Evelyn Elizabeth Williams Durkee, age 92 of Wewoka, Okla. passed away Friday, Aug. 29, 2014 at her home Wewoka Care Center.
Born Feb. 25, 1922 in Pittsburgh, Mo. to James Henry Williams and Lillie Alice (Mitchell) Williams.
Evelyn graduated high school in 1941 in Mo. and Beauty School in Texas.
She owned and operated Evelyn’s Beauty Box from 1962 until retirement in 1996.
Evelyn was a member of Mission Home Missionary Baptist Church Wewoka, Okla.
Evelyn loved to crochet, quilting, canning and collecting bird figurines. She was an avid domino player and she loved her grandkids.
She married Paul Andrew Durkee in 1944 and he preceded in death, December of 1968.
She later married Clarence Gaylor and he preceded in her death in 1996.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, infant twin brother and sister, her brother Clifton Williams, a nephew Eugene Williams, and a very long time companion, Henry Boatman and her adopted son JP McElderry.
Survivors include her daughter Mary Alice Davis and husband David of Wewoka, Okla.; her son, Jerry Paul Durkee and wife Jean of Shawnee, Okla.
Evelyn had eight grandchildren, Heather Heard and husband Tim of Wewoka Okla. Jerry P. Durkee, Jr. and wife Kristin of Wahiawa, Hawaii, Steven Durkee, of Del City, Okla.; Dewayne Davis and wife Jenna of Weleetka, Okla. Casey Durkee of San Diego Calif.; George McElderry and wife Tracy of Pflugerville, Tex.; John Holcombe and wife Brianne of Arizona; Melissa Weidow and husband John of Geronimo, Okla.
She is survived by 16 great grandchildren: Hannah and Logan Heard, Wewoka; Kyle Durkee of San Diego¸ Calif.; Jade Durkee of Oklahoma City; Justin Durkee, Wahiawa, Hawaii; Kylie and Maegan Durkee of Moore, Okla.; Gaylen, Garon & Gabby Davis of Weleetka, Okla.; Andrew Durkee, of Japan; Trenton and Rhylan Holcomb of Arizona; John Garold Weidow of Geronimo, Okla.; Brandon and Breanne McElderry of Pflugerville, Tex.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014 at Stout-Phillips Funeral Chapel with Pastor Dewayne Davis officiating and burial to follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Wewoka, Okla.
Pall Bearers will be grandsons, Jerry Durkee Jr. Steven Durkee; Casey Durkee; Tim Heard; George McElderry; John Holcombe
Honorary Pall Bearers will be great-grandsons Logan Heard, Garon Davis, Andrew Durkee, Justin Durkee,
Arrangements are by Stout-Phillips Funeral Home.
Dr. James East
Dr. James (Jimmy) Ray East DDS, age 78, of Bristow, passed away Jan. 5, 2014 at Wewoka Healthcare Center, where he resided since 2009.
He suffered with Parkinson’s disease for 26 years and recently developed cancer.
He finally lost his battle with cancer, while surrounded by his family.
"Jimmy" was born in Tulsa, Okla., Jan. 26, 1935 to "Ray" and Lucille East.
He started his schooling at Tanglewood Elementary School on Wekiwa Road, then his family moved into Sand Springs where he went to second grade.
After his parents became Seventh-day Adventists; he and his older sister, Ann, walked 12 blocks to the Sand Springs electric street car stop, they then rode the street car to the last Tulsa stop and walked another mile to the Adventist grade school.
He attended middle school and high school at Southwestern Junior Academy, and then took X-ray training at the Methodist hospital in Dallas Tex., while waiting for Gayle to turn 18, so they could be married.
Jimmy was married to his high school sweetheart, Scottie Gayle Putnam of Keene, Tex. on Sept. 29, 1957.
He served in the U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston from 1957-1959.
After his service, he attended college at Union College in Lincoln, Nebr. and then went on to Loma Linda University where he graduated in 1964 receiving a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.
Over the years they had three rambunctious boys, Rodney 1958, Robin 1963, and Randall 1967.
He started his dental practice in Bristow Okla. in July 1964 and retired on Feb. 11, 1998.
Over the years, Jim brought his deep sense of morality to the various board positions he held for the Oklahoma Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the Board of Sunbelt Health Care Systems of the Southwestern Union, Southwestern Adventist University Board, and as an active member of the Bristow Jaycee’s, and Toastmasters.
Jim attended the Bristow Seventh-day Adventist church where he worked with the Bristow Stars Pathfinder Club for over 25 years.
Many of those years, Jim was the director.
Pathfinders is a Christian youth organization that develops character through outdoor leadership training.
Over the years Jim took the pathfinders canoeing on the Illinois River, camping all over Oklahoma, and rock climbing, even though he was afraid of heights.
He very much enjoyed the camporees where clubs competed in knot tying, marching, stilt races, and obstacle courses.
People loved Jimmy and he was often in the center of a crowd pulling a prank, practical joke or telling his legendary stories.
Kids of all ages were thrilled with his juggling skills and he amazed the young ones as he pulled a quarter from behind their ear, and then made it disappear again.
Jimmy always wanted to be a farmer and so when he moved to Bristow he bought 20 acres, where he and his boys explored the woods and raised many animals.
All the neighbors knew about the peacocks because of their distinctive song, but the menagerie went well beyond that with horses, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pheasants, crows, a rescued egret, and Buzzy the pet vulture.
Jim built a 3, 700 sq foot green house where he spent many afternoons, caring for his tomatoes and teaching horticulture for a local grade school.
Jim was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1988, and in 1994 chose to undergo the first outpatient Thalamotomy, and walked out of the operating room minus the Parkinson’s symptoms on his left side.
The disease continued into the right side of his brain and as a result of this disease he had a total of three surgeries between 1994 and 2000.
His faith and good humor sustained him and he never complained.
With lots of help from Gayle, and his sons, he did not let it slow him down.
The family went on a backpacking and climbing trip in 2000.
Going without Daddy was not an option so, into a jogging stroller he went, and the boys took turns pushing him to the campsite.
Gayle continued to bring Jim on camping trips with her oldest son, Rodney and his Wilderness Adventure summer camp program until 2006.
He continued to love being with the youth, and they genuinely loved being with him.
Jimmy is survived by Scottie Gayle, his wife of 56 years; his two sisters, Jean Kennett and Ann Hottal; his children, Rodney and Stephanie, Robin and Lisa, Randy and Crystal; his grandchildren, Matthew 22, Joshua 12, Zachary 8, Mattie 5, and Kinsley 1.
Jim considered his great niece, Emily and nephew Eric to be his grandchildren, also.
Memorial Celebration of Jimmy’s Life will be held at the Bristow Seventh-day Adventist Church at 401 E. 6th Avenue, in Bristow, Okla., on Saturday January 11, at 3 p.m.
The family is making the following requests: If coming to the Celebration of Life, please wear red, it was Jim’s favorite color and in lieu of flowers please make donations to the Bristow Stars Pathfinder Club, in care of the Bristow Seventh-day Adventist Church, P.O. Box 838, Bristow, OK 74010.
E.B. Easter
E.B. "Luke" Easter, Jr., 90, longtime Seminole resident died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014 in Shawnee, Okla.
Luke was born Feb. 13, 1924 in El Reno, Okla. to Oklaola (Fuqua) and Elmer Boyd Easter.
Luke grew up in the Healdton, Okla. area and graduated from the Rexroat High School in Wilson, Okla.
He lived in Seminole from 1964 to 1972 until he moved to Duncan, Okla.
Luke worked for Halliburton as an Assistant Superintendent for 28 years when he retired in 1979.
After retirement he worked as an oilfield consultant in the Lindsay, Okla. area.
In 1987 Luke moved back to Seminole.
He was a member of the Good Hope Road Church of Christ.
Luke served his country in the U. S. Navy as a Yeoman Second Class, in the South Pacific, during World War II.
After retirement Luke loved to go fishing, do woodworking, and bluegrass music.
Luke married Elva Opal Byrd on June 24, 1949 in Wichita Falls, Tex.
She preceded him in death on September 28, 2004.
Luke is survived by a son Jim Easter and his wife Cyndy of Sand Springs, Okla. and two daughters Dianne Pruitt and her husband Don of Rogers, Arkansas and Suzanne Hardin and her husband Ed of Seminole, Okla.; his seven grandchildren, Greg Pruitt, Kelli Frost, Julie Smith, Jeff Easter, Justin Easter, Rusty Hardin, Lindsay Churchwell, and eight great grandchildren; Tyler, Case, Addison, Paige, Adam, Ryan, Braxton and Hally.
Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014 at the Swearingen Funeral Home Chapel with Don Pruitt and C.A. Smith officiating.
Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Casket bearers will be Justin Easter, Jeff Easter, Greg Pruitt, Rusty Hardin, Jason Smith and Carl Frost. Honorary bearers will be Dale Smith and Randall Smith.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Okla.
Juanita Eberle
Juanita J. Eberle, 98, of Glendale, Ariz., died Sept. 27, 2014.
She was born in Allen, Okla. on Sept. 6, 1916.
She graduated from Wewoka High School and received a Bachelor's of Arts degree from East Central University in Ada, and a Master's in music education from University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz.
She had a career in teaching music for the Washington Elementary School District for 40 years.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Jean Louise Eberle and son, Alan Thad Eberle.
She is survived by her two sons, Lowell James Eberle and John Philip Neely, nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and three great great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Oct. 4, 2014 at 9 a.m. at A.L. Moore-Grimshaw Mortuary, 710 W. Bethany Home Rd, Phx, Ariz.
Funeral service to follow at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to www.alz.org.
Regina Edmondson
Celebration of life for Regina Edmondson will be held on Thursday, Jan. 23, at the First Baptist Church in Maud at 6 p.m. with Bobby Shatto officiating.
Regina was born Sept. 6, 1960 at Ardmore, Okla. to the late Mr. Melvin Rhea "Red" Edmondson and Mrs. Sammie Louise (Tipton) Edmondson.
She departed this life Friday, Jan. 17, 2014 at Maud.
Regina moved to Alaska at a young age.
She became a mother as a young lady and returned to Oklahoma.
Regina joined the R.O.T.C. program at college and served as a Second Lieutenant in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves where she was honorably discharged and commended for her faithful service in 1988.
She attended ECU and received her degree in Education.
Regina taught school at Maud from the early 90’s until 2005 when she moved to Waurika Public Schools where she was currently teaching Junior High.
Regina enjoyed reading and spending time with her grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Debra Lynn Gray; and nephew, Leland Gray.
Regina is survived by her daughter, Brandy Marie Jimenez and husband John of Anchorage, Alaska; three sons, Christopher Allen Witt of Norfolk, Va., Jonathan Keith Fleming and wife Tamara of Maud, Okla. and Tommy Finch JR. of Del City, Okla.; sister, Cynthia Johnson of Palmer, Alaska.; brother, Randall Edmondson and wife Ellie of Kenia, Alaska; four grandchildren, Destiny Jimenez, Kyle Snodgrass, Jake Crawford and Grace Fleming; aunt, Lena Tooman of Sapulpa, Okla.; uncle, Buddy Tipton and wife Mary Belle of Tulsa, Okla.; and numerous other family and friends.
Honorary pallbearers are Dale Spradling, Randy Edmondson, Tommy Finch JR., Jon Fleming, Josh Edmondson, Darrell Edmondson, Chris Witt, Jerry Tarbet and Justin Harjo.
