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John H. Slavens
Shawnee businessman and civic leader John H. Slavens died Monday at Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City.
Slavens, 62, a longtime employee of Mobil Chemical Corp., served as plant manager in Shawnee for 11 years. Before moving to Shawnee, he worked in Illinois, New York state and Texas.
From 1991 to 1995, Slavens served as venture manager for Mobil in The Netherlands in western Europe. He also served as vice president of operations/Europe overseeing Mobil plants in the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.
Slavens and his wife, Gloria, 15-year residents of Shawnee, were co-chairs of SURGE, Shawnee Uniting Resources for Growth and Excellence.
Slavens was past president of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce and past president of the United Way of Shawnee. He served as a board member for the Salvation Army, the United Way, The Mabee-Gerrer Museum and the South Central Sheltered Workshop.
Slavens was born Feb. 16, 1937, in Waverly, Ill., to Robert and Lola (Stuart) Slavens. He attended public schools in Waverly.
On Aug. 11, 1962, he married Gloria Cummings in Jacksonville, Ill.
Slavens was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Funeral services
for Slavens will be 10 a.m. Monday at Resthaven Funeral Home with Lt. Carlyle Gargis and Capt. Vic Tidman officiating. He will be buried at Resthaven Memorial Park.
The family will receive visitors at Resthaven Funeral Home in Shawnee from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Slavens was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Lola Slavens; his parents-in-law, George and Roberta Cummings; a son, John H. Slavens II; a sister, Hallie Dain; and two brothers, Zelmer Slavens and Albert Slavens.
Survivors include his wife, Gloria Slavens of the home; a son, Robert "Bob" Slavens, Long Beach, Calif.; a sister and brother-in-law, Virginia and Edward Kessler, Granite City, Ill.; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Howard and Peggy Slavens, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Holland and Odile Slavens, Shreveport, La.; a sister-in-law, Donna Slavens, Sherman, Ill.; two aunts, Hope Hunnicutt, Hillview, Ill., and Isabel Ford, White Hall, Ill.
Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army of Shawnee and the Cancer Center of Shawnee Regional Hospital.
Katy Cowen Garnett
Lawton resident Katy Cowen Garnett died Friday in Lawton. She was 89.
Mrs. Garnett was born May 13, 1910, in Shawnee to Nathan "Link" and Georgia Francis Cowen. She married Ralph Garnett of Elk City in 1932.
She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., and the University of Oklahoma, where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority. She was author of a number of cookbooks and she and he husband had owned Garnett's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlors in Lubbock, Texas.
She was a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Lubbock, Texas, and was a charter member of the Junior League of Lubbock.
Survivors include her daughter, Barbara Hazelwood, of the home and formerly of Lubbock, Texas; granddaughter and her husband, Suzy and Robert Irwin, Lawton; two great-grandchildren; sister, Martha Lee Humphrey, Shawnee; brother and sister-in-law, Shawnee; brother, Steve Cowen, Tulsa; and many other nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Garnett; brother, Link Cowen; and sister, Jacqueline Crawley.
Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel.
Ora Earline Hill
Lifelong Konawa resident Ora Earline Hill died Friday in Ada. She was 94.
Mrs. Hill was born March 5, 1905, in Konawa to James and Elizabeth Huff. She married William D. Hill in Konawa in 1945. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth and Mary Slusher, Tulsa; Bennie and Dorothy Slusher, Konawa; brother, Zill Huff, Konawa; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William D. Hill; father, James Huff; mother, Elizabeth Huff; four brothers and five sisters.
Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Assembly of God Church with the Rev. Mitch Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Konawa Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Pickard Funeral Home, Konawa.
Iva Linnie Loftis
Iva Linnie Loftis died Wednesday in Cheraw, S.C. She was 90.
Mrs. Loftis was born in Little, Okla., to Joseph Newton and Ellen Ann Upshaw Ball. She married Raymond Loftis Sr.
She had worked at the Masonic Temple Building in Shawnee for 30 years as an elevator operator.
Survivors include her son, Raymond Loftis Jr., Cheraw, S.C.; brother, William Ball, Del City; sister, Lucille Jenkins, Bush, La.; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be 4 p.m. Tuesday at Little Cemetery under the direction of Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Roesch-Walker Funeral Chapel.
Memorials may be made to Southeastern Children's Home, 155 Children's Way, Duncan, S.C., 29334.
James O. May Sr.
Shawnee resident James O. "J.O." May Sr. died Friday in Shawnee. He was 75.
May was born on March 4, 1924, in Irmo, S.C., the son of Henry E. and Annie Mae (Eargle) May.
He married Myrtle Lorene Medcalf on Aug. 23, 1944, in Oklahoma City.
He served with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.
May worked as a civilian aircraft inspector at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City for 16 years.
He also operated a grocery store in the Shawnee-Twin Lakes area and a service station in McLoud. He retired in 1974.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Annie May; a son, Bobby May; two brothers; and a sister.
Survivors include his wife, Lorene; three sons, James May Jr. and Tommy May, both of Shawnee; Danny May, Gore, Okla.; two aunts, Mattie Rawls and Bessie Barrett, both of South Carolina; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; a niece; a great-nephew; a great-niece; and many cousins.
Services will be 4 p.m. Monday, at the Church of Christ in Dale with Minister Dewayne Thomas officiating.
Burial will be in Pilgrim's Rest Cemetery, Newalla, under the direction of Baggerley-South Funeral Home of Oklahoma City.
Raymond Dale Kilpatrick
Raymond Dale Kilpatrick died Friday in Edmond. He was 72.
Kilpatrick was born Oct. 13, 1926, in Jennings, Okla. He was married to Dollene Laveda (Light) Kilpatrick for 47 years.
He worked as a carpenter in the Chandler and Carney area for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Dollene Kilpatrick, Edmond; son, Brian Kilpatrick, Edmond; daughter, Teresa Kilpatrick, Wellston; sister, Neva Henderson, DeRidder, La.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Church of the Nazarene in Chandler. Burial will follow at the Carney Cemetery under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home, Chandler.
Harlie Lantz
Harlie Lantz died Saturday in Chandler. He was 89.
Lantz was born Nov. 9, 1909, in Oakland, Ark. to Homer and Laura (Clarkson) Lantz. He married Oletha Stearman on Aug. 1, 1946, in Andrews, Texas.
He worked for Douglas Air Craft as a foreman over the flight hanger. He later worked for Ford Motor Co. for several years and owned his own car business. After retirement, he worked for the city of Chandler.
He was a member of the city council for several years and was a member of the Lion's Club in Meeker. He attended the First Assembly of God Church in Chandler.
Survivors include his wife, Oletha, of the home; daughter and son-in-law, Dawn and Howard Morris, Oklahoma City; grandsons, Josh Lantz and Randy Morris, both of Oklahoma City; great-grandchildren, Clint and Keith Morris, both of Oklahoma City; and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Larry Lantz; and three brothers.
Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Oak Park Cemetery in Chandler under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home in Chandler. The Rev. Doyle Seeley will officiate.
Doyle Dewayne Gaither
Doyle Dewayne Gaither died Friday in Carney. He was 77.
Gaither was born Aug. 29, 1922, in Carney to James Charlie and Margaret Jane (Sadler) Gaither. He married Ruby Gertrude Kinder in Chandler in 1940.
He was a farmer and rancher in the Carney area for many years and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Carney. He was also the member of the Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Gaither, of the home; son, Richard Gaither, Oklahoma City; daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Don Smith, Va.; brothers, Ralph Gaither, Gene Gaither and Glendell Gaither, all of California; sisters, Melba Hagar and Oneta Green, both of California; four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.
Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Parks Brothers Funeral Chapel in Chandler with the Rev. Davies Vanpool officiating. Burial will follow at the Carney Cemetery.
Clifford Dale Smith
Wewoka resident Clifford Dale Smith died Wednesday at his home. He was 44.
Smith was born Sept. 16, 1954, in Oklahoma City to Johnnie Lee and Carol A. (King) Smith.
He attended Harrah and Shawnee public schools. He owned Cliff's Paint and Body in Oklahoma City and Seminole for many years. He was a member of several Baptist churches, most recently the Temple Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Kim Kolander, of the home; son, Trevor Dale Smith, Shawnee; daughter, Tara Dawn Smith, Shawnee; brothers and sisters-in-law, Johnnie Lee Jr. and Bonnie Lynn Smith, Oklahoma City; Dennis L. Smith, Seminole; Howard Ray and E. Jane Smith, Shawnee; and Earnest Eugene Smith, McAlester; sisters and brother-in-law, Christy and Billy Howerton, El Reno, and Joy L. Smith, Bethel; aunt, Maxine Baird, Shawnee; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Jonathan Edward Smith.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today at Fairview Cemetery, with Brother Randy Gordon officiating, under the direction of Gaskill-Owens Funeral Chapel.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Shawnee.
Creston Lawyer
Seminole resident Creston Lawyer died Tuesday at a Shawnee hospital. He was 71.
Lawyer was born Feb. 4, 1928, in Spaulding to Walker Ray and Lilly Mae (Bernard) Lawyer.
He married Clara Nation Morris on Feb. 8, 1946, in Holdenville.
Lawyer moved to Stuart when he was in the eighth grade; he attended high school in Stuart.
He moved to Seminole 53 years ago. He was employed by Quality Bottling Co. and later operated Seminole Auto Supply with his son.
He was a deacon at Ideal Street Baptist Church and also was a member of the Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his wife, Clara Lawyer, of the home; son, Larry Creston Lawyer, Seminole; daughter, Donna Sharon Ratliff, Houston, Texas; sister, Wandella McNutt, Ada; grandchildren, Britton Lee Willis, Oklahoma City, Jason J. Willis, Seminole, Lindsay Nicole Lawyer, North Hampton, Mass., and John Walker Lawyer, Seminole; and one great-grandson, Kolby J. Willis, Seminole.
Services will be 2 p.m. today at Swearingen Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Glen Williams officiating. Burial will be at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Seminole, under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home.
