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Rhonda Lynn Green
Rhonda Lynn Green, 42, of Garland, Texas, died Tuesday, Feb. 25.
She was born May 1, 1962, to Bill Green Sr. and Velma Green.
Survivors include her parents, one brother and sister-in-law, Bill Green Jr. and Carol Green; two nephews, Josh and Mitch; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Funeral services
will be 1 p.m. Monday in Williams Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Clay Womack officiating. Burial will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at New Hope Cemetery in Meeker.
Contributions may be made to the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital or the Juvenile Diabetes Association.
Harold Sharp
Kettering, Ohio, resident Harold Sharp, 66, died Thursday, Feb. 24.
He graduated from Arizona State, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.
He was a retired captain in the U.S. Air Force. He also retired from WPAFB as a government contractor.
He was preceded in death by his son, Anthony Sharp, and sister, Beverly Koth.
Survivors include his wife, Penelope Sharp; daughter, Theresa L. Sharp of Kettering, Ohio; son, Mark (Rosilda) Sharp of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; grandchildren, Jessica and Sarina Sharp, and Kaitlin and Thomas Regan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Miami Valley Area, 24 N. Jefferson St., Dayton, OH 45402.
At the request of the family there will be no service held.
Routsong Funeral Home in Dayton, Ohio is directing arrangements.
Lynn J. Cook
Lawton resident Lynn J. Cook, 67, died Friday, Feb. 25, in Lawton.
She was born March 8, 1937, in Killeen, Texas, to Hilliard and Josephina (Boggs) Neely.
She was retired from civil service.
She was a member of the Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Survivors include three daughters, Cynthia Gutzwiller, Rosanna Jo Hanson and Donna Chase, all of Lawton; three granddaughters, Bronwen Gutzwiller, Desi Hanson and Michelle Burrus; one great-granddaughter; two sisters, Priscella Winfield and Anita Lawson; and four brothers, Nick Neely, Barney Neely, Cullen Neely and T.J. Neely.
Visitation will be today until Monday at Becker Funeral Home in Lawton.
No service is scheduled.
Theodore Seneschal
Theodore Seneschal, O.S.B., Monk, Presbyter, Storyteller, and Cuddler, won his fight against cancer by dying at St. Gregory's Abbey on April 28, 2005, amid his monastic brothers and family. He was 62 years old.
Born Terry Wilfred Seneschal in San Diego, California, to Wilford George and Emma Elizabeth (Mattis) Seneschal Hash, on July 23, 1942, he grew up in San Diego and in the Los Angeles area. He chose the name James at his Confirmation. He attended St. Benedict Grade School in Montebello, California, St. Gregory's High School and College in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and was clothed as a novice at St. Gregory's Abbey on June 23, 1962, taking his monastic name Theodore. He professed his temporary vows of Obedience, Stability, and Conversion to a Monastic Way of Life on Midsummer's Day, June 24, 1963, the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptizer.
Father Theodore finished his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy at St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, and after one year of theological studies at St. Gregory's he professed his final vows. He finished his studies in theology at St. Gregory's, St. Meinrad Seminary, and St. Louis University; he was ordained subdeacon and deacon, and after finishing his Master's Degree in Education at the University of Indiana at Bloomington, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 20, 1970.
Fr. Theodore then began a 34 year career at St. Gregory's College and University as Instructor in English, Religious Studies, Theology, Scripture, Marriage and the Family, Logic Latin, and Ethics. He held the administrative positions of Residence Hall adviser and Director, Head of Campus Ministry, Dean of Students, and Resident Chaplain. While he was Dean he inaugurated the "Late Night Breakfasts" for students studying for their final examinations at the end of each semester. Faculty and staff prepared food and helped the students with their last-minute work. Father Theodore helped with the "Orchestra and Chorus" of various University productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma, and Fiddler on the Roof. He also has roles to play in Romeo and Juliet, Barnum, 110 in the Shade, and The Lady's Not For Burning.
He completed studies for a Master's Degree in Theology from the University of Notre Dame, and did postgraduate studies at Boston College, Loyola Orange and Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, and Santa Clara University.
Fr. Theodore was active in parish ministry in Oklahoma, going out on many weekends to substitute for the pastors and for raising scholarship funds for St. Gregory's University. He took great delight in being able to preside at Mass in Spanish, and even to give homilies, read mostly from texts prepared by others. A detached retina in the summer of 2003 blinded him sufficiently to keep him from any further parish assignments.
He was associate pastor at St. Benedict Church in Montebello, and pastor at St. Vincent de Paul parish in McLoud, Oklahoma. At various times he held the posts of Guestmaster, Master of Ceremonies, Cantor, Subprior, and Master of Junior Monks at St. Gregory's Abbey.
On weekends that he did not have a parish assignment he took groups of students on campouts at Sacred Heart near Konawa, Oklahoma, and on canoe float trips along the Illinois River. Fr. Theodore also enjoyed swimming and riding his bicycle off campus whenever he could get away for a few hours. During his last years he rode from place to place on St. Gregory's campus because, as he said, "It hurts too much too walk."
He developed flower and vegetable gardens near the monastery and in the courtyard of Degrasse Residence Hall. There he laid walkways of recycled bricks, most of which he gathered and cleaned himself. This was an ongoing work in progress, dedicated to al the people connected with St. Gregory's who had died since he began the project. His own name will be added to the list. While he was Resident Chaplain he adopted a Siamese-Tabby Cat whom he named "Gregory;" "Easy to remember," he said. Gregory was popular with several generations of students.
His study of theology led him to a profound love and appreciation of the liturgy. In November, 2003, he ceased presiding at the Abbey's Conventual Mass, except for a few Sundays during lent, 2004. "I wanted to do it well," he said, "and I can't see and get around well enough to do it." Father Theodore did, however, continue to preside at Eucharist with the students in St. Benedict's Chapel in Residence Hall until the end of the Fall Semester, 2004.
The last few years of his life found him on the periphery of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter. He was preparing to be a priest-presenter for Encounter Weekends, but had to discontinue this when he was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, which had already spread to his bones.
His latest "low impact ministry," as he called it, was being a "Cuddler" of premature, high-risk infants at the University of Oklahoma Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City. This experience was much more than "just holding babies;" these little human beings were truly tiny, weighing upward of two pounds and hooked up to feeding tubes and monitors. Friday afternoons became a high point of his week when he could spend a few hours with them. His long-time family friend and caregiver, and oblate of St. Gregory's Abbey, Jan Pasienski, drove him back and forth to Children's Hospital, and to other medical appointments.
Fr. Theodore was a regular participant in the radio program Cavalier Chat, with discussions on the sacraments, vocation, and the place of theological studies in the university. In November, 2004, he was on National Public Radio with Puzzlemaster Will Shortz and the moderator of Weekend Edition, Leann Hansen. "It was quite an honor," he said; "only about fifty people a year get called to do this."
Fr. Theodore was preceded in death by numerous monks of St. Gregory's Abbey, by his parents, his half-sister Winifred Balekian, his nephew Paul and sister-in-law Mari Phillip Seneschal. He is survived by the monks of St. Gregory's Abbey, his brother Phillip Seneschal, his sister-in-law Jacqueline Magness Seneschal, and seven nephews and nieces.
The services for Fr. Theodore are: Reception of the Body at St. Gregory's Abbey, Shawnee, Oklahoma, at 11:45 a.m. Monday, May 2; Vigils of the Office of the Dead at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 2, in St. Gregory's Abbey Church; Mass of Resurrection at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, in St. Gregory's Abbey Church, with Rt. Rev. Martin Lugo, O.S.B., Abbot, presiding, with burial in the Abbey Cemetery to follow.
Memorials may be made to a scholarship fund in his name at St. Gregory's University, 1900 W. MacArthur Street, Shawnee, OK 74804.
Roy A. Ailey
Shawnee resident Roy A. Ailey, 65, died peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer at his home Thursday, April 28.
He was born Aug. 9, 1939, in Tecumseh to Isaac and Cora (Hembree) Ailey. He grew up in the Musson area, attended Musson schools and graduated from Shawnee High School in 1958.
He married his high school sweetheart, Marquita Reese, Dec. 2, 1996.
He was a charter member of Hilltop Baptist Church. He was a member of the Shawnee Round-Up Club, North Rock Creek Trap Club, and original member of the Santa Fe Gunfighters. Roy was an avid fisherman and hunter. He won awards for quick-draw pistol shooting and trap shooting.
He worked for Stephen Oil & Gas and Brewer & Son Oil & Gas driving tanker trucks, Shawnee Mill and Dinsmore Tractors. He farmed east of town, shoeing horses and breaking horses.
Roy was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, brother, Earl, and first wife Penny.
He is survived by his wife, Marquira, of the home; three daughters and sons-in-law, Floy Kay and Frank Alexander of Seminole, Lou Ann and Charles Crownover of Oklahoma City, Roye Lynn and Roy Nealy of Shawnee; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Steven Reese of Shawnee, and Lynn and Kristen Reese of Broken Arrow; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Edward and Carol Ailey, Harold and Juanita Ailey, Eldon and Pat Ailey; two adopted brothers and their wives, Doyle and Sonja Reese, Everett and Freda Pickard; sisters-in-law, Scharleen Cargill and husband, Jon, Shirley Abbott; mother-in-law, Nellie Conklin; 13 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and numerous other relatives.
Service will be 2 p.m. Monday at the chapel of Walker Funeral Service with the Rev. Mike Wester and the Rev. Glen Pence officiating. Burial will follow at Johnson Cemetery.
Visitation and lunch with the family will be noon Monday at Sallateeska Baptist Church, 45703 Garrett's Lake Road.
Memorial may be made to Heartland Hospice of Shawnee, 3700 N. Kickapoo Suite 104, Shawnee OK.
Genevieve L. Hale
Shawnee resident Genevieve L. "Jean" Hale, 83, died Thursday at a local nursing home.
She was born April 28, 1921, in Smithcenter, Kan., to Sam and Grace (Wolgeauch) Carver.
She married Glen Hale in New Mexico on July 28, 1941. He preceded her in death.
Genevieve worked as a secretary for an earthmoving company in Shawnee before retiring at the age of 76.
She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church.
Also preceding her in death were her parents; three brothers, John Carver, Melvin Carver and Ralph Carver, and two sisters, Ada Machol and Lee Hale.
Survivors include two sisters, Ruth Ring of Crook, Colo.; Vera Ellis of Great Bend, Kan.; two brothers-in-law, Leon Hale of Eufaula and Ed Hale and his wife, Collene, of Carlsbad, N.M., and numerous nieces and nephews, including Leonna and Mike taber of Seminole.
Graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Tecumseh Cemetery. Gaskill Funeral Chapel of Shawnee is directing arrangements.
Lloyd "Elmo" Smith
Shawnee resident Lloyd "Elmo" Smith, 61, died Thursday, March 24, in Shawnee.
He was born Sept. 23, 1943, in Marlin, Texas, to Lloyd Alvie and Nora Mae (Barganier) Smith. He attended Arlington Heights and Trimble Tech in Fort Worth and lived in the Fort Worth area until moving to Bethel in 1991.
Smith married Sandra Reaves in Fort Worth on June 1, 1963.
He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968, then worked for General Moters until his medical retirement in 1988.
Smith was a member of New Hope Baptist Church, the Shawnee VFW and DAV, where he was very active with Veterans' Assistance, and was a member of Blue Spader 1st and 26th Co. A. 1st Div. He and his wife taught preschool Sunday school.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife, Sandy, of the home; daughters and sons-in-law, Dianna Lee and Russell Cooper of Fort Worth, Texas; Amy Denise and Mike Cleveland of Greenville, Texas; Lisa Earleen and Jerris Duncan of Abilene, Texas; Nanci Nicole Hayden-Smith of the home; nine grandchildren, Brian Lee Hayden, Stephen Andrew Hayden, Matthew Allen Cleveland, Joshua Aaron Cleveland, Katherine Elizabeth Cleveland, Micah Louis Cleveland, Sarah Isabella Cleveland, Marybeth Elise Duncan and Trey Duncan; one great-grandchild, and one brother, Carl Wayne Smith, Fort Worth, Texas.
Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at New Hope Baptist Church with the Rev. John Mixon and Jerris Duncan officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park.
Viewing will begin at 3 p.m. today at Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh.
