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Marsha Pledger
Marsha Pledger of Tecumseh died Saturday. She was 54.
She was born Sept. 16, 1945, in Tulsa. She was the daughter of Joseph Azor Smith and Marguerite Amy (Cunningham) Smith.
Pledger was a graduate of Shawnee High School. She had worked as a dental assistant and office manager for Dr. Joe Taron of Shawnee for 23 years.
She was married to Ron Pledger on March 6, 1987, in Tecumseh. Mrs. Pledger was a member of Business and Professional Women's Club of Shawnee and active in numerous churches.
She has lived in the Tecumseh/Shawnee area most all her life.
She was preceded in death by both parents; Edward Lewis Pledger, Sr. and Norma Pledger.
Survivors include her husband Ron Pledger of the home; sons, Edward Lewis Pledger Jr., Tecumseh, and Victor Allen Pledger, Oklahoma City; daughter, Kimberely Ann Hodge, Los Angeles, Calif.; four stepchildren and spouses, Ronald Kelly Pledger, Claremore, Andrea Faye and Jerrad Turner, Glen Rose, Texas, Robert Mark and Nancy Pledger, Maud, and Vicki Loraine and Jassa Langford, Oklahoma City; two grandchildren, Sydney Pledger and Edward Lewis Pledger III, two sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary Darlene Cartwright and Orlin Hall, Tulsa, and Margaret Jo and Arlis Yancy, Moore; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Marvin Wayne and Cindy Holloway, Coweta, Joe David and Gayla Smith, Mansfield, Texas, and Jim and Rose Smith, Sierra Vista, Ariz., and father-in-law, Victor William Pledger, Eufaula.
Funeral services
will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Gaskill-Owens Funeral Chapel with Rev. Larry Sparks officiating. Burial will be at Tecumseh Cemetery, under the direction of Gaskill-Owens Funeral Chapel.
Rachel Jane Ballou
Shawnee resident Rachel Jane (Sager) Ballou died Sunday at a local nursing home. She was 92.
Mrs. Ballou was born Jan. 24, 1908, near Little Rock, Ark., to Jerry Balentine Sager and Eliza Ellen (Love) Sager.
She married Fred Ballou in 1927 in Tecumseh.
She graduated from Depew High School and Tulsa Business School and worked as a precinct official with the Pottawatomie County Election Board.
She worked as a babysitter for about 20 years and worked with the Mothers Day Out program at First Presbyterian Church and St. Paul's United Methodist Church.
She moved from Konawa to Shawnee in July 1940.
She was a member of First Assembly of God Church since the early 1940s where she taught Sunday school and was the women's minister secretary.
She had lived at the Shawnee Tower before moving to Rose Manor nursing home.
Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Freda and J.R. Peters and Mary Ellen and Richard Davis, all of Shawnee, and Estella Wheeler, Norman; son and daughter-in-law, Charley and Brenda Ballou, Tecumseh; 14 grandchildren, Jim and Carolyn Peters, Debi and Mike McClendon, David and Regina Peters, Connie and Kendal Ward, Rick and Leslie Davis, Ronald Davis, Beverly and Bruce Cantrell, Tammy and Jeff McLoud, Marsha Schildt, Jesse and Lisa Hicks, Wesley Hicks, Veto Hicks, Travis Hicks, and Judy and Shannon King; 14 great-grandchildren, Jeff Peters, Jeremy Peters, Tiffany Peters, David Scott Peters, Daphne Peters, Joshua Peters, Juniper Hanks, Ahren Schildt, Shane Dailey, Luke Ward, Amber Cantrell, Brady Cantrell, Cory McLoud and Katelynn McLoud; and great-great-granddaughter, Aleah Kay Peters.
She was preceded in death by her parents, J.B. and Eliza Sager; two brothers, William H. Sager and Arthur V. Sager; and her husband on April 1, 1989.
Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Assembly of God with the Rev. James Walter officiating. Burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Park under the direction of Gaskill-Owens Funeral Chapel.
Gray Wright Waldorf
Gray Wright Waldorf died Jan. 15 in Pensacola, Fla. He was 82.
Waldorf was born Aug. 6, 1917, in Shawnee to Bernice Alma (Gray) and Earl Wright Waldorf.
He graduated from Shawnee High School, then received a bachelor of science degree from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1940. He graduated from Baylor University with a masters degree in 1942 and completed graduate work at the University of Texas. He was a member of the honorary biology fraternity Beta Beta Beta.
He served as a federal food and drug inspector in New Orleans, La., then worked as a civilian for the War Department after World War II. He served as assistant director of the U.S. Army/Air Force Education Program School in Fukuoka, Japan.
As assistant director, he was one of the first American civilians to see Japan's wartime devastatin and early reconstruction. He attended the war crime trial of Tojo in Yokohama.
He taught high school and junior college physics, chemistry, biology and general science in Texas before joining the faculty at Tift College in Forsyth, Ga. Waldorf retired in 1983 after teaching 43 years in Texas, Georgia and Florida, including 28 years in the biology department at Pensacola Junior College.
He married Velma Lodge Brock in Forsyth, Ga., and moved to Pensacola, Fla., in 1955. He was a charter member of Oakcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola.
Survivors include his wife of Pensacola, Fla.; daughter, Gwendolyn Brock Waldorf, and son-in-law, Dana Chace Bryan, and granddaughter, Elizabeth Michela Waldorf Bryan, all of Tallahassee, Fla.; two nephews, Bill Watson, Jones, and James Watson, Conrad, Ark.; and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Mary Jane Watson Boren.
Memorials may be made to Waldorf Memorial Science Scholarship, PJC Foundation, 1000 College Blvd., Pensacola, Fla., 32504.
DeLana M. Reed
Choctaw resident DeLana M. Reed died Feb. 11. She was 65.
Mrs. Reed was born March 16, 1934, to Walter and Dora Tiffin.
Survivors include husband, Pete Reed, Choctaw; daughter, Carla Homan, Sullivan, Missouri; sons, Kerry Uhlich, Cleveland, and Kevin Uhlich, Choctaw; sisters, Lillian Clower and Cleo McMurray, both of Tecumseh; and brothers, Gene Tiffin, Norman, and the Rev. Sidney Tiffin, Tecumseh.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Dora Tiffin; brothers, Houston, Orville and Cloverdale Tiffin; son, Chris Uhlich; and sister, Wilma Brewer.
Services were held Feb. 15 at Bill Eisenhour Northeast Funeral Chapel with Todd Tiffin officiating. Burial was in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Maud.
Heber Barney Tacker
Heber Barney Tacker of Hillsboro, Texas, died Sunday. He was 87.
He was born May 10, 1912, on a Pottawatomie County farm. He was the son of Barney and Annabelle Tacker.
Mr. Tacker moved to Shawnee at 9. Graduating from Shawnee High School in 1931, he was on the football team that earned the Mid-State Champions title.
He attended Oklahoma Baptist University on a football scholarship.
He married Mildred Rebecca Capp May 21, 1939.
After serving in World War II, he managed the Sears and Roebuck Farm Store in Waxahachie, Texas. He owned and operated the first Dairy Queen in Mexia, Texas, until moving to Hillsboro in 1954 to build and operate two Tacker Drive Inns.
He served as president of the Hill County Round-up Club and the Tax Equalization Board. He was a supporter of the Summer Ball and FFA programs.
Survivors include his wife Mildred; a daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Eugene Mach of Tyler, Texas; a son, WM. Mark Tacker of California; a granddaughter and husband, Amy and Troy Sinkule; great-grandson, Hayden Sinkule of Abbott, Texas; and brother, Dr. Loyal Tacker of San Antonio, Texas.
Graveside services were held at Fairview Cemetery with Rev. J.C. Farrand officiating under the direction of Marshall and Marshall Funeral Home of Hillsboro, Texas.
Memorials may be made to Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society, 3003 LBJ Suite 128E, Dallas, Texas 75234.
Felix Burgess
Felix "Jr." Burgess died Sunday in Oklahoma City. He was 71.
He was born near Fallis on Nov. 4, 1928. He was the son of Carl and Alice R. (Kaller) Burgess.
Burgess lived in the Chandler area all his life. He worked as a rancher for Doc Mileham and retired after 26 years.
He married Minnie Evans in 1989 in Chandler.
He was preceded in death by his parents, five sisters and one brother.
Survivors include his wife, Minnie Evans Burgess of Chandler; one son, Russell Holland of Chandler; two daughters, Schemeka Evans of Oklahoma City and Yvonne Neal of Enid; one brother, Houston Burgess of Chandler; four sisters, Mae Caldwell of Chandler, Dorothy Gladdis of Oklahoma City, Myrtle Smith of Oklahoma City, and Carolyn Thompson of Oklahoma City; six grandchildren; and other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Douglas Community Center, Chandler, with Rev. Lee Lee Lewis officiating. Burial will be at the Oak Park Cemetery in Chandler under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home in Chandler.
Mary Louise (Johns) Van Meter
Mary Louise (Johns) Van Meter of Maud died Sunday. She was 78.
She was born Sept. 27, 1921, in Ardmore. She was the daughter of James Houston Johns and Cara Lillian (Blaylock) Johns.
Van Meter was a lifelong resident of Maud and an active citizen of the Maud community. She married William Elmo Van Meter on June 24, 1941, in Wewoka.
She was a secretary for Maud Public School. Mrs. Van Meter was a member of the Maud St. Mark's United Methodist Church where she held several positions.
She also was past worthy matron of the Order of Eastern Star Chapter No. 57, a member of the Maud Historical Society and of the Round-up Club.
She was preceded in death by parents, sister, Pauline O'Neal and husband, Elmo Van Meter on Jan. 14, 1981.
Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, John and Carole Van Meter of Ada; granddaughter, Kande Daniel of Durant; grandson and spouse, Judd Van Meter and his wife Toni of Blanchard; great-granddaughters, Savannah and Mersadies (Sadie) Daniel, both of Durant, and Taylor Van Meter of Blanchard; sister-in-law, Zalese Turk of Oklahoma City; niece, Nancy Lucy; nephews, Greg Goss, Rodger Goss, Kay D. Goss, Steve Goss, David Goss, John Sweatt, Mike O'Neal and Jimmy O'Neal.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Maud with the Rev. Gene Teel officiating. Burial will be at Cummings Cemetery under the direction of Knight Funeral Home in Maud.
William Leo Grisham
William Leo Grisham of Midwest City died Saturday. He was 69.
He was born Jan. 17, 1931 in Trousdale to William Bradley and Willa Estaella Grisham. He was retired from the Civil Service and worked many years at Tinker Air Force Base.
Surviving are his wife, Ora Faye of the home; two sons, nine grandchildren and a sister.
Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Barnes and Johnson Funeral Home in Midwest City. Burial will follow at Lexington Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Barnes and Johnson Funeral Home of Midwest City.
Zevert Z. Davis
Zevert Z. Davis died Monday in his Shawnee home. He was 91.
He was born Jan. 24, 1910, in Heavener, Okla., the son of William Lon Davis and Maggie Ann (Wisdom) Davis.
Davis, a farmer, worked for Wilson's Packing Company for 25 years.
On Aug. 13, 1933, he married Ruby Eunice Adams.
Davis served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Hornet before being honorably discharged Nov. 20, 1945. After the military, he moved to Okemah, then to Oklahoma City. He had lived in Shawnee for the past three years.
Preceding him in death were his wife; his parents; two sisters, Willie Phillips and Mary Baker, and his brother, Owen Davis.
Survivors include his daughter, Irene Belt-Guinn of Shawnee; two sons, Don Ray Davis of Chesapeake, Va., and Harold Z. Davis of Napa, Calif.; five grandsons, Bryan, David, Mason, Jessee and Jason; three granddaughters, Brenda, Beverly and Kristi, and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Gaskill-Owens Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Michael W. McCauley will officiate and burial will be in Resthaven Cemetery in Oklahoma City.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Shawnee, 1102 W. MacArthur, Shawnee.
