Franklin Edsel Nation was born October 29th, 1932 to Vera Vivian (Wheeler) and James Franklin Nation. He passed away in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on Friday, December 1st, 2023 at the age of 91 years, 1 month and 2 days.
Charles V. Williams, Jr., age 92, departed this life on November 25, 2023. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 29, 1930, to Charles V. Williams, Sr. and Meredith Hewitt. He graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Later he graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1958 earning a Bachelor of Arts degree and later a Juris Doctor degree in 1961. Prior to attending college, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1950 just after the beginning of the Korean conflict and was discharged August of 1953. While in the Air Force, he was a Flight chief putting basic trainees through boot camp and ended up at Vance Air Force base in Enid working on B-25’s. He retired from civilian life as an Assistant District Attorney from 1974 to 1992 working in Beckham and Blaine counties. Prior to serving as Assistant District Attorney, he was a claims manager for Western Insurance Company in Elk City, Oklahoma from 1963 to 1967. After that he moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where he worked for the North Carolina Department of Labor implementing the Occupational Safety and Health Act. After retiring in 1992, he was appointed as a District Judge in 1993 for the Osage Nation Tribal court in Pawhuska, he being an Osage Indian himself. In 1993 he was reelected for the same position for a twoyear period. He was an accomplished musician playing the piano and being in an 11-piece band at the age of eleven and other bands while in the service and during civilian life. In 1942, during World War II, he played with Larry Lee Skinner and his Sunshine Band for a war bond rally and was on the same stage with the actress Bette Davis. He is survived by the lady of his life, Darla Williams. He is also survived by four stepsons: Mark Jarvis of Overland Park, Kansas, Eric Cox of Amarillo, Texas, David Jarvis of Houston, Texas, and Phillip Cox. He was preceded in death by his grandparents who raised him, his parents, and one stepson, Phillip Jarvis.
Jimmy Ray Blanken was born July 11th, 1949 in San Jose, California to Mary Emma (Adams) and Carl Lee Musick. He passed away at his home in Elk City, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 11th, 2023 at the age of 74years and 4 months.
Carsen James Perry was born September 18th, 2009 at Elk City, Oklahoma to Caitlin Michelle (Cox) and Tyson Buck Perry. He passed away on Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at Elk City, Oklahoma at the age of 14 years, 1 month and 17 days.
Karla Gay Rizley Maudlin was born on March 14, 1950, and passed away at her home in Sayre Oklahoma on November 8, 2023, at the age of 73. She was born and raised in Sayre and graduated from Sayre High School in 1968. After graduating she moved to Weatherford and briefly attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University before completing her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at the University of Central Oklahoma. Karla married Lawrence Gene Maudlin on June 3, 1972, and started her teaching career in Oklahoma City. They then moved to Lawton where she began her 39-year career with Lawton Public Schools. After several years of being a classroom teacher, she would go on to complete her master’s in early childhood development at the University of Oklahoma. Karla then became a Principal at Pecan Grove, Park Lane, and Pat Henry before her last position at Learning Tree Academy. She was given the task of starting Learning Tree Academy from the ground up. This was one of her proudest accomplishments. She would later take the position of Director of Early Childhood and Elementary Education for LPS where she would eventually retire. Throughout her career, Karla was an active member with P.E.O. International which was a sisterhood that promotes educational opportunities for women. After retirement, she worked as a child advocate for CASA. She had many hobbies including sewing, sail boating, traveling, and shopping. Karla was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and an influence to many children throughout her career. She was an active member of Centenary United Methodist Church in Lawton and Sayre United Methodist Church.