Barbara Joan Byers
Barbara Joan Byers, 49, of Norman, Oklahoma, died Sunday,
October 26, 2003, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A Vigil service will
held at 7:00 P.M.on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 at Havenbrook
Funeral Home in Norman. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00
A.M., Thursday, October 30, 2003 at Havenbrook Funeral Home
Chapel with Reverend Edward Menasco officiating. Interment
will
follow at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Norman, Oklahoma. Pallbearers
will be her brothers, Pete, Danny, Tommy, Gerard, Stephan and
Richard Palen. Honorary bearers will be Wade, Joe Byers Robb
Marshall. Services are under the direction of Havenbrook Funeral
Home of Norman, Oklahoma.
Mrs. Byers was born April 25, 1954 in Glendive, Montana,
to Daniel Charles and Beverly Anne Griffin Palen. She was one of
the eldest of their sixteen children and spent much of her youth
tending to and caring for her younger siblings. She grew up in South
Dakota and Madison, Wisconsin and graduated from Madison High
School in Wisconsin. Later she lived in Dallas, Texas and Ottumwa,
Iowa before moving to Oklahoma City in 1980 and then to Norman
in 1989. Barbara married Gary Byers on April 22, 1989 in Norman,
Oklahoma. Her life revolved around her family, especially her
children. She was raised Catholic and attended St. Joseph Catholic
Church in Norman. Barbara was a loyal and true friend to those she
loved.
Mrs. Byers was preceded in death by her parents. Survivors
include her husband, Gary of the home, two sons, Wade and Joe
Byers; daughter, Shelly Byers, all of the home, stepdaughter, Carly
Byers of Norman, OK; parents-in-law, Charles and Dixie Byers of
Norman, OK; fifteen siblings, Mary Palen of Moore, OK, Martha
Palen of Moore, OK, Pattie Palen Marshall of Houston, TX, Peter J.
Palen of Davenport, IA, Daniel C. Palen, Jr. of Ottumwa, IA, Gail
Palen Griffiths of Moline, IL, Gerard Palen of Oklahoma City, OK,
Thomas A. Palen of Ottumwa, IA, Judith Palen Shepherd of
Ottumwa, IA, Theresa Palen Livingston of Ottumwa, IA, James G.
Palen of Ottumwa, IA, Newell E. Palen of Ottumwa, IA, Nancy
Palen Bishop of Ottumwa, IA, Stephen A. Palen of Ottumwa, IA and
Richard S. Palen of Olathe, KS.; and thirty-seven nieces and
nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to the Byers Children Trust Fund,
First Fidelity Bank, Brookhaven Office, P.O. Box 32282, Oklahoma
City, OK 73123.
William Elmer Reid
William Elmer Reid, 85, of
Norman, Oklahoma, died Tuesday,
October 14, 2003, in Norman, Oklahoma.
Graveside Services will be held at 11:00
A.M., Saturday, October 18, 2003 at
Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, 2301 E.
Indian Hills Road in Norman, Oklahoma with Chaplain Harry Smith
officiating. Services are under the direction of Havenbrook Funeral
Home of Norman, Oklahoma.
Mr. Reid was born April 8, 1918 in Reids, Louisiana, to
William Edward and Myrtle Dove Reid. He graduated from high
school in Leesville, Louisiana in 1936 and then graduated from
Louisiana State University with a pre-med major in epidemiology.
He was attending graduate school at the University of Texas when
Pearl Harbor was bombed. In 1942, William enlisted with the U.S.
Army Air Corp. During the war he flew C47 Gooneybird transport
planes in the European theater. After the war, he flew members of
the Post-War Economic Planning Committee to all the capital cities
of Europe and North Africa. He stayed in the Air Force Reserves
until he was honorably discharged on March 21, 1966 with the rank
of Captain. William married Felicia Perry on May 6, 1948 in San
Antonio. He graduated from Texas Chiropractic College in 1949 and
received a Philosopher of Chiropractic degree in 1950. The family
moved to Norman on March 15, 1968 from Louisiana. William
worked at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in the
computing field for twenty years.
Mr. Reid was preceded in death by his parents and one
brother, W.L.Reid. Survivors include his wife, Felicia of the home;
son, W. Perry and wife, Missy of Edmond, OK; two daughters, Judy
Reid Toland and husband, Dan of Sterling, VA and Licia Reid
Iverson and husband, Wayne of Norman, OK; one sister, Cala Sue
Bobo and husband, James of Florence, AL; and six grandchildren,
Coby Toland, Ryan Toland, Kyle Reid, Connor Reid, Sarah Reid and
Brett Reid.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Heartland Hospice of
Norman at 623 N. Porter Ave, Norman, OK 73071 or the charity of
your choice.
Charlotte Bale McGraw Prechtl
Charlotte Bale McGraw Prechtl, 73, of Norman, Oklahoma,
died Tuesday, October 7, 2003 in Norman, Oklahoma. Funeral
Services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, October 18, 2003 at
Havenbrook Funeral Home Chapel in Norman with Reverend Pam
Normile officiating. Services are under the direction of Havenbrook
Funeral Home of Norman, Oklahoma.
Mrs. Prechtl was born January 4, 1930 in Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, to Hubert and Neva Lou Neel Bale. She grew up in
Oklahoma City and graduated with honors from Northeast High
School. She then graduated from Southern Methodist University with
a degree in home economics and received her masters degree in
library science from the University of Oklahoma. Mrs. Prechtl lived
in Norman from 1960 to 1972 and then returned in 1982, residing in
Norman until her death. She was a librarian at University High
School in Norman for a number of years. She was associate professor
of Bibliography at the University of Oklahoma. Mrs. Prechtl taught
library science for one year at the University of South Africa. She
was also active in the Alpha Phi Sorority She was a member of the
First Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Prechtl was preceded in death by her parents and
husband, Joseph Anthony Prechtl. Her ashes will join Joe’s in the
Pacific Ocean. Survivors include her son, Rick McGraw of Dallas,
TX; daughter, Marcie Fallik and husband, Carl of Overland Park,
Kansas; and two grandchildren, Cassidy and Seth Fallik; sister,
Barbara de Jong of Howick, South Africa; seven nieces and five
nephews.
Troy Thomas McKenzie
Troy Thomas McKenzie, 82, of
Norman, Oklahoma, died Wednesday,
October 15, 2003, in Norman, Oklahoma.
Family Visitation will be held from 6:00
to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 17, 2003
at Havenbrook Funeral Home. Funeral
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m.,
Saturday, October 18, 2003, at Havenbrook Funeral Home Chapel
with Rob Mason officiating. Interment
will follow at the I.O.O.F.
Cemetery in Norman, Oklahoma. Pallbearers will be the U.S. Army
Honor Guard. Honorary bearers will be Thomas McKenzie, David
McKenzie, Christopher Corpora, Tommy McKenzie, Timothy Larson
and Stephanie Frame. Services are under the direction of
Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman, Oklahoma.
Mr. McKenzie was born July 8, 1921 in Lebanon, Oklahoma,
to Arch and Mitchel Moon McKenzie. He grew up in southern
Oklahoma, in the Lebanon area. He worked in the Civilian
Conservation Corps Camps. Troy married LaVerne Johnston in
Madill, OK on March 2, 1943. During World War II, Troy and his
three brothers joined the U.S. Armed Forces. He served with the 18th
Field Artillery. He received a number of decorations and citations for
his service including, the American Theater Campaign and EAME
Campaign Medals with five bronze stars, the Victory Medal and three
Overseas Service Bars. During the war he served in Normandy,
Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. He was wounded
in battle during the "Battle of the Bulge". Troy was released from
service in 1948. He rejoined the U.S. Army in 1952 and served until
his retirement on June 3, 1967 at the rank of Master Sergeant. He
was a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was awarded the Korean
Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. Troy then
worked as an Elks Club Manager in Sierra Vista, Arizona. He
worked as a Lodge manager for the State of Oklahoma Tourism
Department. Troy retired from the State of Oklahoma in 1980. He
moved to Norman, Oklahoma in 1989 from Hawaii. Troy enjoyed a
number of hobbies including fishing, skin diving and gambling. He
also was an excellent cook and an avid Sooner football fan. Troy was
a life long democrat.
Mr. McKenzie was preceded in death by his parents, his wife,
LaVerne, brother, Otis Wayne McKenzie and nephew, Burl Tabor.
Survivors include two sons, Tom W. McKenzie and wife, Cynthia of
Ft. Worth, TX and David T. McKenzie of Oklahoma City, OK;
daughter, Sharon Corpora and husband, Ivor of Chicago, IL; sister,
Nila Mae Figuroa and husband, Art of Tucson, AZ; four brothers,
Archie McKenzie of Ardmore, OK, Everett McKenzie and wife,
Doris of Ft. St. James, Canada, Aubra Hugh McKenzie and wife,
Gloria of Burlingame, CA and Kenneth McKenzie and wife, Anita of
Sherman, TX; six grandchildren, Doug Larson, Christopher Corpora,
Stephanie Frame, Timothy Larson, Thomas McKenzie and Nathan
McKenzie; five great-grandchildren, Shea Corpora, Stella Corpora,
Raiden Larson, Sophia Frame and Sydney Corpora.
