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Donald A. Graham
Donald A. Graham of Sierra Vista, Ariz. died Wednesday in Sulphur. He was 75.
Graham was born March 17, 1924, in Chism, Okla., to William Andrew and Levera (Cooke) Graham. He married Marion Runyon on March 16, 1946, in Lawton.
He was a 1942 graduate of Asher High School and earned a bachelor of science degree from San Jose State. He worked as president and chief executive officer of various electronic companies throughout the United States.
He was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne in the U.S. Army during World War II. He received a Purple Heart for wounds received in St. Vit, Belgium.
He was a member of the Chickasaw tribe and a great-great-grandson of Jesse Chisholm and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include his wife, Marion Graham, of the home; son, Gary V. Graham, Los Angeles, Calif.; daughter, Lisa A. Swan, Sierra Vista, Ariz.; granddaughters, Elizabeth A. Swan and Heather A. Swan, both of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; and many other friends and relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Edward Vaughn Graham.
Graveside services
will be 2 p.m. Friday at Cooke Family Cemetery, south of Asher with Father Charles Massoth, O.S.B., officiating. Services are under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home, Tecumseh.
James K. Steward
Shawnee resident James K. "Doc" Steward died Wednesday at a local hospital. He was 86.
Steward was born March 6, 1913, northeast of McLoud to John and Sara Margaret (Varbel) Steward. He married Geraldine F. Steward on June 12, 1937, in El Reno.
He attended Central High School and graduated from Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore. He served in the U.S. Army from June 6, 1943, to Dec. 15, 1944, as an air plane mechanic and in maintenance depots. He served two and a half years in England.
He was employed in Auto Part Supply and then at Tinker Air Force Base where he retired in 1970.
Steward was a member of the McLoud American Legion Post No. 0244 and the Shawnee Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife, Geraldine F. Steward, of the home; son and daughter-in-law, James K. Jr. and Diane Steward, Stillwater; daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Gene Kolker, San Antonio, Texas; grandchildren, Jimmy Steward, Orlando, Fla.; David Steward, Tulsa; Wendy and Danny Cruz, Stillwater; Angela Kolker, New York City, N.Y.; Matt Kolker, St. Louis, Mo.; and great-grandson, Kaylor Steward, Stillwater.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and two sisters.
Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City.
LaVerne V. Shell
Norman resident LaVerne Shell, 83, died Thursday in Norman.
She was born Oct. 24, 1918, in Bristow to William "Bill" and Sarah (Churchill) Bromley.
She was reared in Oklahoma City. She married Morris Shell in June 1965 in Oklahoma City.
The couple lived in Kansas for several years, where she served as the first female mayor in Severy, Kan. They then moved to Pottawatomie County and had lived in Norman for the past seven years.
Shell owned and operated LaVerne's Beauty Shop, Oklahoma City. She also worked for Boeing Aircraft while in Kansas.
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Kansas chapter.
Shell was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, four sisters and two brothers.
Survivors include her husband, Morris Shell of the home; daughter and son-in-law, Eva and Vearl Lingle of Macomb; two sons and daughters-in-law, Bill and Judy Sandlin of Salinas, Calif., and Noble and Connie Sandlin of Tuttle; a brother, Jack Bromley of Oklahoma City; five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Cooper Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Sunny Stuart officiating. Burial will follow at Mars Hill Cemetery.
Helen Elizabeth Nease
Shawnee resident Helen Elizabeth Nease died Tuesday.
She was born Sept. 6, 1923, in Henryetta, the eldest of 11 children born to Wilbur and Jessie Hinman.
Nease graduated in 1942 from Mountain View High School, east of Seminole, where she was valedictorian.
In addition, she attended the University of Tulsa and was employed at Douglas Aircraft during World War II.
She married Eugene R. McCormick on Sept. 11, 1948, and spent her early married years in San Bernadino, Calif.
In 1966, she and her family returned to Shawnee, where she has lived since.
Nease was a homemaker and owned and operated Parkview Florist, Seminole, before retiring in the mid-1980s.
In 1979, she became reacquainted with Karl Nease, whom she had written and became friends with during his service to the U.S. Navy. They married July 3, 1980, at Bridgeview on Lake Texoma.
Nease was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Jack Hinman, Ben Hinman, Leon Hinman, Ted Hinman and Marshall Hinman; and sister, Margaret Hinman.
She is survived by her husband of the home; son and daughter-in-law, Beverly and Bryan Coon of Edmond; daughter, Valerie J. McCormick of Juneau, Alaska; son, David O. McCormick of Juneau; and daughter, Jamie L. Nease of St. Petersburg, Fla; grandchildren, Corey McCormick, Wendy McCormick and Randy McCormick, all of Tulsa; Brian Shawn of Shawnee; Brandon and Brittany Coon of Edmond; Jeremy, Emily and Jacob Langkiet of Juneau; Joe and Christine Nease of Albuquerque, N.M., and Cory and Megan Nettles of Yukon; stepchildren and their spouses, K.O. and Toni Nease of Arizona, Joe Nease of Florida; and siblings, Lawrence Hinman of Konawa, Verna Thornbrugh of Madill, Ruth Phenix of Edmond and Lynda Johnston of Houston, Texas; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Services will be 10 a.m. today at Crossings Community Church, 14600 N. Portland, Oklahoma City, with the Rev. Steve Seaton officiating. Burial will follow in Little Cemetery, Seminole.
Services are under the direction of Vondel L. Smith and Son Mortuary, Oklahoma City.
Pearl S. Hocker
Shawnee resident Pearl Hocker, 97, died Thursday at her residence.
Services are pending with Gaskill-Owens Funeral Chapel.
Betty Jo Gentry
Betty Jo Gentry, 71, Shawnee, died Tuesday in Shawnee.
Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at Cooper Funeral Home Chapel with Russell Currie officiating. Burial follows in Resthaven Memorial Park.
Gentry was born June 22, 1931, in Paden to Joseph and Leacy Holder Capps. She was reared in the Paden area and lived in McAlester for five years before moving to Shawnee in 1955.
She attended Paden Schools through the 11th grade, but graduated from Norman High School.
Gentry and J.B. Carrel were married May 28, 1984. He preceded her in death May 31, 1982.
On Dec. 28, 1984, she married Robert Gentry.
Gentry worked at Tinker Air Force Base for more than 20 years before retiring as a supervisor in the bearing unit.
Gentry was a member of Trinity Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Noble Capps and a sister, Alma Stone.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Gentry of the home; two daughters and son-in-law, Judith James, Shawnee, and Paula and Jerry Mays, Earlsboro; a son, Gary B. Carrel, Shawnee; four stepdaughters and their spouses, Paula Mitchell, Shawnee, Kay and Jim Doolin, Shawnee, Rhonda and Scott Archer, Mobile, Ala., and Serina Alexander, Shawnee; 22 grandchildren, 17 grandchildren; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Herman and Sarah Gentry, Shawnee; two sisters, Bertha Adams and Mae Wallis, both of Paden; a brother, Duel Capps, McLoud; brother-in-law, Ralph Stone, Paden; and several nieces and nephews.
Ray M. Hollis Sr.
Shawnee resident Ray M. Hollis Sr., 85, died Wednesday at a local hospital.
He was born Aug. 29, 1916, in Aydelotte, Okla., to Jesse and Ethel Hollis.
He was reared in Hollis and married Zelma Lane on Aug. 20, 1940, in Shawnee.
He was a collector of Farmall Cub Tractors.
He moved to Shawnee in 1950 from McLoud.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Joseph Hollis.
Survivors include his wife, Zelma Hollis of the home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ray M. Hollis Jr. and Martha of Shawnee and Billy J. Hollis and Peggy of Sparks; two grandchildren, Preston Hollis and Sherita Beasley of Moore; three sisters and one brother-in-law, Naomi and Bill Fay of Klanath Falls, Ore., Dorothy Harder of Del City and Virginia Page of Anaheim, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Mike Craig officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel.
Ollie Myrtle Whitson
Paden resident Ollie Myrtle Whitson, 92, died Wednesday.
Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Ralph and Ruby Whitson of Midwest City, Bill and Barbara Whitson of Oklahoma City, Paul Whitson of Thomas and John and Carol Whitson of Oklahoma City; daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Dale McConnell; 17 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the Paden Holiness Church with Brother Paul Heard officiating. Burial will follow at the Paden Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Service of Prague.
Gladys Coleman
Gladys M. Coleman, 71, of Shawnee died Wednesday at a local nursing home.
Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel. Other information is pending with Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel.
Leroy White
Leroy White, 73, of Norman died Thursday in Norman.
Services for White will be 4 p.m. Saturday at Cooper Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Sunny Stuart and Don White officiating.
Burial will follow in Little Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Chapel.
Mary Francis Vierra
Mary Francis Vierra, 71, of Shawnee died Wednesday at an Oklahoma City hospital.
She was born Oct. 1, 1930, in Ardmore, Okla., to Houston Marion Steudemen and Wanda Steudemen.
She was reared and attended school in Ardmore.
She married Lloyd Davis in 1945 in Trenton, Texas. After his death she married Lee Vierra.
She was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church of Ardmore.
She lived in Shawnee for 25 years prior to moving to Seminole about three months before her death.
She is preceded in death by her father; husband, Lloyd Davis; husband, Lee Vierra; two sons; one brother; and one sister.
Survivors include five sons and daughters-in-law, Danny Lee and Charlotte Davis of Shawnee, Steven and Tina Davis of Arcadia, Jackie Ray and Kelly Davis of Tyler, Texas, Bing and Carlene Vierra of Seminole, and Buck and Shelly Vierra of Seminole; three daughters and sons-in-law, Mary Ann White and Bob of Talihina, Okla., Linda Sue and Michael Ramsey of Leonard, Texas, and Shirley and David Dollins of Tecumseh; 22 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Fred and Judy Steudemen of Fort Worth, Texas, William and Mary Steudemen of Oklahoma City and Clarence and Betty Steudemen of Dallas, Texas; one sister and brother-in-law, Lou and David Huckabee of Ardmore; and her mother Wanda Steudemen.
Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Johnson Cemetery with the Rev. Charles Higgins and Joyce Higgins officiating. Burial will follow at Johnson Cemetery under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home of Shawnee.
