Obituaries

Orin Wilkins, 86, graduated to glory March 3, 2019. Born in Kingston, Okla., Orin spent most of his adult life in the Oklahoma City metro area.

He received degrees at OKC Southwestern College, Bethany Nazarene College, and both his Master’s and D.Ed. from OSU.

Geared to secondary education, Orin served as both professor and Dean of Academics at OKC Southwestern, and later, professor at Rose State College.

He married his wife of 65 years, Patsy, in 1953. Together they had three children, David (wife Diane), of Bethany, Okla.; Rebecca (deceased); and Ken (wife Brenda), of Yukon, Okla.; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Friday, March 8, 2019, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with family present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Mercer-Adams. Memorial service will be held Saturday, March 9, 2019, at 2 p.m. at Christ’s Legacy Church, Yukon, Okla.

Ruth Elmina (Parnell) Williams, 97, passed away in peace and love on Jan. 30, 2019, in Ness City, Kan. She was born Oct. 11, 1921, in Hugo, Okla., to James A. “Andy” and Minnie Ann (Crawford) Parnell. Ruth grew up in the country east of Hugo. She received her education from country schools, Hugo High School, Oklahoma City University, and Eastern Oklahoma State College.

She married her high school sweetheart, Oscar Williams, on Sept. 6, 1940, in Pauls Valley, Okla. This marriage was blessed with two children, Jim Oscar and Quannah Lou. Our parents will never be forgotten, and their love will always be our guide.

Ruth was Madill’s Humpty Dumpty Kindergarten teacher for years. Teaching children was her passion and delight. She loved all her students at Humpty Dumpty, and they loved her! She was known for her important kindergarten life lesson: “Hold hands and stay together!”

Long-time Ardmore, Okla., resident, Gerald R. Orr, 87, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 25, 2019, at The Chapel at Griffin~Hillcrest. Interment followed in Hillcrest Memorial Park in Ardmore, Okla.

Gerald was born on July 13, 1931, in Lebanon, Okla., to I.T. Orr and Vera (Rutherford) Orr, who preceded him in death. As a youth, he loved hanging out with his friends, Jerrell Allen and Donald John, hunting, fishing, trapping, and being boys. Gerald was a good athlete playing football, basketball, baseball, and boxing. After graduation from high school, Gerald joined the U.S. Navy with his buddies, W.A. Mauldin and Jerrell Allen, and fought in the Korean War as a gunner on the USS Iowa.

Donna Jeanne Bond, of Oklahoma City, Okla., left this life on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, at the age of 72, at Baptist Hospital in Oklahoma City.

She was born on Sept. 3, 1946, in Madill, Okla., to T.H and Edwina (Henson) Williamson. The family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, when Donna was young, and she attended school there, graduating from Brewer High School. Donna worked at General Dynamics where her mother worked. She later moved to Willis, Okla., area and worked for attorney Tom Shaw until taking a position with Legal Aid of Oklahoma, managing the Madill Office.

In 1991, she married Hugh Bond, a Madill native, and they lived in Oklahoma City until her passing, where she continued working as a paralegal for Legal Aid until her health began failing in 2016. Donna loved Hugh, her good and faithful husband of almost 28 years. Her passions were watching tennis, and PBR on TV, and her sweet Shih Tzu, Abigail.

Buford Edward Burton, 81, of Little City, Okla., passed away Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, in Springfield, Mo. He was born March 26, 1937, in Dixie, Okla., to the late Frances Edward Burton and Lavada Skeen Burton.

Buford was raised in Ringling, Okla., and graduated in 1957 from the Mountain Home High School. He married Darlene Andrews on March 17, 1958, in Ardmore, Okla., and she preceded him in death on March 6, 1999.

He worked in the Ringling area as a rancher and later in Oklahoma City as a mechanic and in the oil field. Buford moved to Madill in 1975 and worked in construction. Buford lived the past eight months in Springfield, Mo. He was affiliated with the Little City Baptist Church, and he enjoyed riding horses, fishing, reading Louis L’amour books, working on cars, playing dominos, and dancing. His greatest love was his kids, spoiling the grandkids, and going to Lone Grove Senior Citizens Center.

Mary Gwendolyn Huebsch, 89, of Madill, Okla.; passed away Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at the Calera Manor in Calera, Okla. She was born April 16, 1929, in Oakland, Okla., to the late Vester Payton Spivey and Gladys Vera Rogers Lynn.

Mary was raised in the Oakland and Madill area where she attended school. She married A.W. Huebsch on May 26, 1945, and he preceded her in death on Jan. 7, 2003. She was a member of the Jolly Homemakers Club through the OSU Extension Center and the Oakland Church of Christ where she was very involved. Mary enjoyed cooking, reading, doing crafts, sewing, the color yellow, antiquing, watching birds, gardening and baseball, especially the Texas Rangers. Her passion was music and song, and Mary felt called to share her talent by singing at funerals. Her greatest love was her family and being with friends in the community.

Ginger Nicole Thomas Owens, 38, of Gaffney, S.C., went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at her residence.

Born in Norman, Okla., she was the wife of Jason Owens and daughter of Terry Lyn Thomas and Donna Boydston Thomas of Kingston, Okla. She was a homemaker, a racing scorekeeper and attended North Point Church. She loved the Lord, her family, children, racing, softball, and the Oklahoma Sooners. She always put others before herself and was a very creative photographer and graphic designer.

Paul Junior Elcyzyn, 92, of Kingston, Okla., passed away Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, in Ardmore, Okla. He was born on May 11, 1926, to the late Joseph Elcyzyn and Mary Begarek Elcyzyn in Harrah, Okla. He was raised in Harrah and attended a Catholic school. He later joined the United States Navy and served for four years as a 2nd Class Seaman. He worked in the dairy industry for over 40 years. Paul was affiliated with the catholic faith, and he enjoyed gambling, and riding in parades in his 1911 Ford car.

He is survived by his children: Donna Olsen and husband, Larry, Durant, Okla.; Almeda Lee and husband, Ray, Pink, Okla.; grandchildren: Mike Price, Matt Olsen, Haley Olsen, Chris Stites, Steven Elcyzyn, Marcia Elcyzyn; great-grandchildren: Colin Price, Logan Price, Ethan Price, Lyndsey Price, Rylan Olsen, Pyper Olsen, Hayden Stites, Haley Couture, Reecie Stites, Ryder Stites; one great-great-grandchildren: Hadley Price; sister: Jessie Downey, Chillicothe, Mo.; dog: Buddy.

James “Jim” Rouse, 72, of Kingston, Okla., former Shawnee, Okla., resident passed away Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, in Kingston.

He was born July 31, 1946, to Harold and Alice (Harris) Rouse in Seminole, Okla.

Jim was raised in Shawnee, and attended Shawnee Public Schools. He graduated with the class of 1964 from Shawnee High School.

After graduation, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and proudly served his country from 1968 to 1974 as a 75th Ranger, earning two Purple Hearts, the Army Commendation Medal, and a Bronze Star. He was honorably discharged. Upon returning home from the service, he attended Seminole State College.

He married Doris June Taylor on Feb. 14, 1984, in Texas. They made their home in Shawnee until 2012 when they moved to Kingston.

Jim worked at Sears as an appliance salesman before going to work for Unisys Corporation in Oklahoma City, Okla., where he worked for more than 20 years.

Dora Mae Gray, 73, of Tishomingo, Okla., passed away Feb. 16, 2019, in Denison, Texas. She was born May 14, 1945, in Bentley, Okla., to the late Everett Earl French and Settie Sara Elizabeth Cindy Prater French. Dora married Dan Gray, and he preceded her in death on May 31, 2000. She was raised in Atoka, Okla., and attended Atoka and Oklahoma City schools. Dora lived in Perry, Okla., and Madill, Okla., where she worked as a beautician for over 40 years. She later worked for the Choctaw Nation for several years. Dora loved playing bingo, crocheting, and going to garage sales. She is survived by her children: Maurice Garrett, Madill, Okla,; Duston Gray and wife, Jessika, Madill, Okla.; Kim Morse, Tishomingo, Okla.; Kaye McBeth and husband, Doug, Madill, Okla.;12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, and one on the way; brother: Loyd French, Tucson, Ariz.; sister: Letha Emmons, Blanchard, Okla. Dora was preceded in death by her parents; husband; eight brothers and sisters.