System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Lora Strange
Funeral services for former Seminole resident Nora (Taylor) Strange, 91, are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at Swearingen Funeral Chapel with Rev. Nolan Sluder officiating.
Burial will take place at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Strange died Monday at South Oaks Nursing Center in Oklahoma City.
She was born May 18, 1906 in Huntsville, Ark. to William David and Sarah (Walker) Taylor.
Strange was a Baptist, and a member of the Tracy Rebekah Lodge in Seminole.
She was married to Otis E. Strange. He preceded her in death Oct.14, 1973.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Lewis, Charlie and Joe Taylor; four sisters, Nora Eastep, Nellie Walker, Vina Hatfield and Martha Hack.
Survivors include one son, W.H. Phenix, Edmond; one stepdaughter, Audie Ellenburger, Springdale, Ark.; three grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Casket bearers are Junior Hack, Jerry McMickle, Bill Clark, Jackie McMickle, Greg Phenix, Rick Wood, Rick Plockett, Scott Plockett and James Walker.
10-8-97
Gene Swearingen
It couldn’t have been easy to have a name equated by an entire town with funerals, but Gene Swearingen carried it off.
He was gentle and warm and, to the last three generations of Seminole residents, the name meant professional, caring services when a loved one died.
This week, his son and partner, Bob Swearingen, and the rest of the staff will use their considerable experience to make a funeral tribute to the man that each considered a personal mentor.
After more than 50 years in the funeral home business, Gene Swearingen died Sunday in his Seminole home.
He was 83 years old.
His funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in Swearingen Chapel.
Mike Bentley will officiate. Swearingen will then be entombed at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
He was born March 30, 1914, in Clinton, Mo., to E.P. and Carrie Belle (Beason) Swearingen.
He began his career in the funeral business in the early 1930s, working for Cooper Funeral Home, Miami, the city where he grew up.
After a stint selling cars in Seminole with his friend Jelly Conner, he returned to the funeral home in Miami until he entered the U.S. Army in 1942.
After World War II, Swearingen entered mortuary school in Dallas, graduating in 1947.
It was at this time that he married his wife, Wanda Mae Warrenburg; they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this December.
Swearingen returned to Seminole County, working for Key Funeral Home and Stout-Sarber in Wewoka. In 1950, he went to work for Chadwick Funeral Home in Seminole.
He and partner Rex Sommerville purchased Chadwick Funeral Home; later they added partner Harry Arnhart and bought Gibson Funeral Home.
As partners retired or passed away, Sommerville-Swearingen-Arnhart Funeral Home became Swearingen’s.
Although retired, Swearingen remained active in the family-owned funeral home until his death.
Last April he received his 50-year pin from the Oklahoma Funeral Directors’ Association.
In addition to his career, Swearingen was active in his church and community.
He was a long-standing member of the Seminole Church of Christ, located at the corner of Park and Seminole.
His family has designated the church’s building fund as appropriate for memorials.
He served on the Seminole Municipal Hospital board for 20 years, serving for several years as chair.
He was a 50-year Mason of the Seminole Lodge No. 476 and a member of the Lions Club.
"Gene accomplished much in his life, but was most noted for the love and care he gave the families he served throughout the 50-plus years in funeral service and the love he had for his own family and friends," said a spokesman for his dedicated staff.
Survivors include his wife, Wanda, of the home; one son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Terry Swearingen of Seminole; one daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Larry Waddell, Seminole; one brother and sister-in-law, A.L. "Art" and Nadine Swearingen of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; brother- and sister-in-law, Eugene and Frances Warrenburg of Little; four grandchildren, Amie Waddell, Wichita Falls, Texas, Chris Waddell, Sassy and Beau Swearingen, all of Seminole.
Pallbearers will include Babe Adams, Hugh Megee, Ed Lemmings, Mike Reynolds, Chris Waddell, Carl Whitfield, Harry Arnhart and Jim Parks.
Honorary casketbearers will be members of the Oklahoma Funeral Directors’ Association.
10-8-97
Janet Kay Taylor
Seminole resident Janet Kay Taylor, 24, died in an auto accident Monday evening in Seminole.
No funeral or memorial services are planned as the family requested direct cremation.
Taylor was born July 3, 1973 to Charlie Taylor Jr. and Viola Kathleen (Condor) Taylor. They survive her of the home.
Other survivors include her husband, Steve Patterson of the home; one son, Andrew Taylor, of the home; one daughter, Shelby Patterson, of the home; one brother, Jason Taylor, of the home; two sisters, Jennie True, South Carolina and Joyce Taylor, of the home.
10-7-97
Ruth Ellen Tiger
Ruth Ellen Tiger, homegoing was November 2, 1997. Ruth was born March 17, 1942, and raised in Seminole, Oklahoma. She was a longtime member of Cheyarha Presbyterian Church in Seminole and employed by "Billy Boy’s" Restaurant in Shawnee. Ruth was preceded in death by her father Anderson Tiger, sister Tinnie Tiger, brother William Tiger and son Benjamin Myers.
She is survived by daughters Teresa Johnson of Seminole, Oklahoma and Tiffany Skelly of Marlow, Oklahoma and son Roy Sims of Seminole, Oklahoma. Her grandchildren, Robert, Jeremy and Nathanial Johnson; Benjamin, Breann and Naniel Skelly; Brice Sims; Mark Miner and Saree Stafford; Son-in-law Ryan Skelly and daughter-in-law LaDonna Sims. Her mother Renoals Tiger, sister Juanita Scott, brothers Anderson Tiger Jr., Kenneth Tiger, Jack Tiger, Theodore Tiger and David Tiger, numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Services will be Wednesday, November 5th, 2:00 p.m. at the Cheyarha Presbyterian Church, with Rev. John Lively, Robert and Jeromy Johnson and Rev. Sandy Harjo officiating. Burial will be at the Cheyarha Church Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Bill Tiger, John Scott, John "Cotcha" Tiger, Rosser P. Scott III, Thomas Scott and Dana Scott.
11-5-97
Dona Trimble
Funeral services for former Seminole resident Dona Trimble, 94, are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church, Seminole. Dr. Kelvin Mosely will officiate the services.
Burial will take place at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home.
Trimble died Friday at Tulsa Christian Care Center.
She was born Dec. 13, 1902 in Sallisaw, I.T., to James Franklin Allen and Molly (Holmes) Allen.
Trimble came to Seminole in 1927 from Sallisaw. She was a member of the First Baptist Church.
She married Bud Trimble Oct. 6, 1923. He preceded her in death.
She is also preceded in death by her parents, one son, Troy W. Trimble; and several brothers and sisters.
Survivors include one son, Albert C. Trimble, Tulsa; one daughter, Darcus O. Langer, Anaheim, Calif.; one sister, Marie Staats, Drumright; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Pallbearers will include James Childers, W.F. Matthews, Kenneth Mendenhall, D.C. Neal, Don Raney and Jack Reynolds.
9-21-97
Bertha Vawter
Graveside services for lifelong Seminole resident Bertha McMahan Vawter, 82, are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Little Cemetery under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home.
Rev. Byrd Lee and Lois Alexander will officiate the service.
Vawter died Sunday at Pioneer Nursing Home.
She was born Aug. 23, 1915 in Herber Springs, Ark. to Bur Pee Walley and Vena (Davis) Walley.
Vawter was preceded in death by her first husband, Roy McMahan in 1975, and by her second husband, John Vawter in 1977.
She was also preceded in death by her parents and one daughter, Jean Messdangale, in 1991.
Survivors include two sons, Roy McMahan, Avinger, Texas and Jim McMahan, Spearman, Texas; four daughters, Betty Wilcox, Seminole, Jo Williams, Avinger, Texas, Nancy Hull, Rolla, Kan., and Rita Babdois, El Reno; one sister, Leona Patterson, Bakersfield, Calif.; nine grandchildren, four stepgranchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and five stepgreat-grandchildren.
10-14-97
Hershel Wilkerson
Longtime Seminole resident, Hershel Woodrow Wilkerson, passed away at his home on November 12, 1997. He was born January 27, 1918 in Wetumka, OK to Henry F. and Sarah Emily (Eakman) Wilkerson.
Mr. Wilkerson retired in 1983 from Dresser-Atlas and was affiliated with the First Church of God. He married Lois Summers on April 23, 1940 in Holdenville, OK. She survives him of the home.
He is also survived by his son, Wesley Elroy of the home; sons and daughters-in-law, O.D. and Diana Wilkerson of Seminole, Jimmie and Wilberta Wilkerson of Shawnee, OK; four sisters and brothers-in-law, Margaret and Bill Hall of Earlsboro, OK, Velma and Sam Chester of Minco, OK, Jewel Lacy of Oklahoma City, OK, Stella Berger of Oklahoma City, OK; sister-in-law Orlena Wilkerson of Seminole, OK; three grandsons, Mile Wilkerson of Oklahoma City, OK, Jeff and Diane Wilkerson of San Diego, Ca, Kelly Wilkerson of the home; two granddaughters, Shelly Wilkerson of Salt Lake City, UT, Cheryl and Donnie Lambert of Shawnee, OK; six great grandchildren, Tasha, Britni and Dylan Wilkerson of Dallas, TX, Colten, Shali and Keylee Lambert of Shawnee, OK, and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Babe, Lee and Jimmy Wilkerson; one sister, Mae Day and one grandson, Loren D. Wilkerson.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 15, 1997 at 2:00 p.m. at Swearingen Funeral Chapel. Rev. Joe Faircloth will officiate, assisted by Rev. Roger Brewer. Burial will be at Little Cemetery under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home.
11/13/97
Andral Williams Sr.
Graveside services for Andral Lee Williams Sr., 44, will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Westwood Cemetery under the direction of Myers Mortuary.
Elder Anayiah Hawkins of the House of Yahweh will officiate the services.
Williams died Thursday in Edmond.
He was born Dec. 3, 1952 in Wewoka and lived most of his life there.
He worked for EfCo in the rotoswing division. He was a member of the House of Yahweh, Abilene, Texas.
Survivors include his wife, Mardella, of Oklahoma City; four daughters, Krici Michelle Williams, Dallas, Texas, April Lanette Williams, Krystle LaFawn Williams and Amber Williams, all of Oklahoma City; one son, Andral Williams Jr., Oklahoma City; his father, Martin Thomas Jr., Oklahoma City; three brothers, Lester Williams, Whitney, Texas, Donal Lee Williams and Charles Earnest Southern, both of Oklahoma City; and four sisters, Shirley Isiah Manuel, Oklahoma City, Janette Kay Williams, Orlando, Fla., Mildred Heatrice, Del City and Denise Merritt, Oklahoma City.
9-14-97
