Colley Wallace was born September 28, 1945, in Casa Grande, Arizona, and went to be with the Lord in Maysville, Oklahoma, on December 31, 2023. He was the oldest son of LD Wallace and Lavern Wallace. Colley’s parents followed and harvested fruits and vegetables and moved a lot while he was growing up. The family settled in Oklahoma close to the Maysville area around 1963. He cut broomcorn and worked farm fields for Lloyd Morphew for around 13 years during the summers and at the cotton gin in Wayne, Oklahoma, in the winter, Perfection Hy-test for 20 years, worked with a home builder company for a few years and then Millers Farm Store for about five years. He always had a large garden from a young age. He loved working his garden and gave a lot of it away to family and friends. People would get a variety of vegetables throughout the summer, but when corn was ready it had to all get harvested in a short amount of time. Chris and Sherry White with Justin, Chris and Darci, Marvin and Melanie Williams with Samiyah and lots of others every year would come to get it when it was time, and most would be back when cantaloupes and watermelons would be ready.

Connie Tyrone Mercer passed away peacefully at his home on January 4, 2024, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on April 17, 1942, to Ishmael and Norene Mercer. Growing up, Connie attended Stratford High School in Stratford, Oklahoma. Later, he attended East Central University earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. He also served in the United States Army Reserves for seven years and was an ordained deacon at First Baptist Church in Stratford. On March 7, 1965, Connie married the love of his life, Billie Dean Walker of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. They were married for more than 58 years. They made their home in Stratford and had three boys. Connie taught English and Speech at Stratford High School for 30 years before retiring. He loved his students and was known for his interesting storytelling in class. He enjoyed all sports and was the announcer for Stratford home football games for several years. He also coached youth basketball and track teams and chaperoned the Jr/Sr banquets. He was very active in his church and taught Sunday school for several years. Additionally, he served on the Corley Cemetery committee. When not teaching school, attending church or sporting events, you could find him on a tractor or working cattle. He loved being outside and working on the farm. In the summer, he and his boys would harvest and store hay for the winter. He was an honest, hardworking man with great integrity.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Lowell Leslie Wood Jr, a remarkable individual who touched the lives of many with his kindness and selflessness. Leslie was a true embodiment of what it means to be a great guy, always going above and beyond to help others in any way he could. Leslie was born February 9, 1950, in Stratford, Oklahoma, to Lowell Leslie Wood Sr. and Susie (Hottel) Wood, the fourth of eight children. He passed away December 13, 2023, in Oklahoma City at age 73. Leslie graduated from Stratford High School with the class of 1968 and married Lana Turner in 1969. From this union they had two children, Dianne and Cody. In 2005 Leslie married Donna Walls and gained another son, Billy, and daughter, Kristin. He was preceded in death by his dad, Lowell, in 1992, his mom, Susie, in 2017 and his brother Gerald in 2022. Survivors include: his wife, Donna, of the home; daughter Dianne Mann and husband Shawn of Stratford; daughter Kristin Williams of Stratford; son Cody Wood and wife Becky of Stratford; son Billy Nix and wife Jessica of Arkansas; sisters Sue Brown and husband Don of Stratford; Nelda Lee and husband Jimmy of Stratford; Nancy Pike and husband Bud of Stratford; Debbie Korzan of Stratford; and Marsha Milligan and husband Lindell of Pernell; one brother Greg and wife Carolyn of Ardmore; 14 grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews he loved very much.

Mark Eugene Riddle was born to Tony and Elizabeth Riddle on June 3, 1971, in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He passed from this life on December 27, 2023, at his home near Elmore City, Oklahoma. Mark lived the majority of his life in the Elmore City area. He attended Elmore City schools where he excelled in football, basketball, and having fun. He was mischievous and loved to tease and aggravate everyone. As a youngster, he was always on the move which led to many stitches, broken bones, and a couple of knocked out teeth. His passions were music, movies, fishing, and watching Cash play football and basketball. Mark was a loving individual. He had a quick wit, an infectious smile, and a twinkle in his eyes. Mark was a quiet man with a loving heart and a gentle soul. Mark is survived by his daughters, Kaitlyn and Bailey; his son, Cash; his granddaughter, Kinslee; his parents, Tony and Elizabeth; his brother, Stephen; his nephew and wife, Aubrey and Molly; his nieces, Emily and Valerie; his great-niece, Charlotte; special friend, Mandy Minton; his uncle and aunt, Gary and Patsy Damron; his aunts, Janet Damron and Kathy Webb; cousins, Siannah and Mustafa; special cousins and partners in crime, Bryan McNutt and Stephanie Upshaw; and a host of family and friends.

Lester Lee Moore Lester Lee Moore, of Elmore City, Oklahoma, was born to Lester Moore and Ethel Viola (Jones) on February 20, 1938, in Oak Hill, Oklahoma, and passed from this life on December 23, 2023, in Norman Oklahoma, at the age of 85 years. Lester was saved and baptized as a child at the age of eight.

Cletis C. Quinn of Maysville, Oklahoma, was born September 6, 1927, in rural Lincoln County, Oklahoma, near Sparks, to Arley L. Quinn and Esther Ann Mason Quinn. He passed from this life on December 12, 2023. Cletis was the seventh of eleven children. Living most of his life on a farm, he attended country schools and graduated from Prague High School in 1945. In the late 1940s, he moved to Garvin County meeting and marrying Bessie L. Jensen on April 16, 1949, at Gainesville, Texas. They were married 49 years at the time of her passing in 1999. He later married Betty Price Hildreth. Early in his work life, he was a farmer, oilfield worker, and gas station attendant. He also worked as a janitor at Hughes School for five years. Most of his working years were spent at Roy Perkins Lumber Company in Maysville from 1962 to its closing in 1989. He later worked for Gordon White Lumber Company from 1989 to his retirement in 2000. As a child, Cletis attended the Assembly of God Church and later was a member of the Wallville Holiness Church for over 50 years. In his spare time, he enjoyed attending church, working on the farm, traveling, and keeping up with current events.

Larry Don “CW” Davis, age 73, of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, passed away December 7, 2023, as a result of a motorcycle accident outside of Seminole, Oklahoma. Larry was born September 21, 1950, in Ardmore, Oklahoma, to Clyde Davis and Imogene (Ford) Davis. His family moved to the Pauls Valley area when he was very young. Larry attended school in Paoli. He had a career in the Oil and Gas industry that spanned 50 years. He started his career with Shebester Bechtel Oil Well Servicing where he worked with his father and then moved on to many other companies such as Halliburton, John A Taylor Drilling Co., C.L. Davis Well Service Co., and others before becoming a consultant. Over his long career he worked many different onshore and offshore fields, here in the United States as well as overseas. He married Linda Kay Moody of Pauls Valley on September 11, 1970; the marriage lasted until his death 53 years later. During this time, he had to move his family many times because of his work, but they always moved back home to Pauls Valley anytime they could.

Robert Burney Noble, of Stratford, Oklahoma was born August 14, 1933, in Stratford to Ernest and Lena Noble. He passed away on November 19, 2023, at his home. He spent his early days in Big Canyon, Dougherty and Stratford. He served our country in the United States Navy for 9 years, on the USS Kearsarge (CV-33) in the Philippines, USS Bonhomane Richard-San-Francisco (CHD-6) he finished high school while serving and went on to earn an associate’s degree. He loved the military life and would have loved to have stayed longer. He married Cecilia Courture, and he worked in security at the Joseph Harp Prison until retirement. He loved gardening, riding in the golf cart, sitting at Wal-Mart watching people, and eating breakfast at Boomerang in Pauls Valley and talking with everyone there. His joy was his kids, grandkids, and hanging out with his friends. The most important thing he taught us was, “If you tell somebody something, follow up on it.”

Johnnie Lee Jenson Johnnie Lee Jenson was born February 7, 1953, to Johnny and Julia (Brantley) Jensen in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and passed away November 23, 2023, in Norman, Oklahoma, at the age of 70 years. Johnnie lived in the Maysville, Oklahoma, area all of his life, and was a graduate of Maysville High School.