1959 Classmates Who Have Passed

 Gerald Preston Herron

Martha Ann Dillard

Leon Lamb

Carl Eugene Oldham

Margaret Ann Burnes (Sandlin)

Thomas Richard Wilson

Phillip Wayne Eacret

Mary Sue Rackley (Mosier)

Sonja Semore (Kilgore)

Nelson (Jr.) Ford

C.W. "Dub" Rose

Robert "Sonny" Greenmyer

Robert "Bob" Hope

Mack Gordon Stanley

Donald Stacy Falconer

Dennie Marie Locke (Williams)

Glen Ray Watley

Roy "June" Bishop

Barbara Wilson

Scroll down to view information about deceased classmates .

Memory Page also contains information about others connected to Keota's graduating class of 1959 that have passed (Jimmy Brown, Gene Majors, Albert Perry, Dan Deloache, John O'Dell, Mary Belle Clay, Cathy Tucci Perryman, David Falconer, June Hendrix Kemp, John Allen Whiteside, Clifford Lee 'Butch' Clyma).

 Gerald Herron graduated with the class of 59, recieved his Bachelor and Master's Degrees from Northeastern Oklahoma State University, Tahlequah. Gerald was a retired teacher from the Ft. Smith Public schools when he passed away at 61 years of age on January 9, 2003.

 Martha Dillard graduated with the class of 59. She was living in Florida when she passed. 

Leon Lamb attended school at Red Hill through the 8th grade. He started the 9th grade with our class, but quit school sometime during the 55-56 school year.

Carl Oldham attended Keota schools and was in the class that graduated in 1959. His family moved from Keota after Carl's ninth grade year. He graduated from Stroud high school in 1959. Carl was a retired United Steel Worker living in Bristow, Oklahoma when he passed away on October 9, 2008 at 67 years of age.

Margaret Ann Burnes (Sandlin) passed away in Tulsa on Thursday, January 27, 2011. She was 69 years old at the time of her death. She leaves behind her husband, Murl Sandlin, three daughters and six grandchildren. Margaret previously worked as an inspector with Bryan Production and as a sales clerk with the Postman Hallmark store.

Tommy Wilson with his hand on the table is standing between Gordon Stanley (with the cane) and George Cole with his hand in his pocket at the 70th Birthday Party in November. Ruth Ann Cole, Janet Gee and  Robert Gee are on the left.  Mary Lois Flippin is in the far right background.

Thomas Richard Wilson Keota High School class of 1959 passed away Monday afternoon, February 20, 2012, in Wills Point, Texas. Tommy was born July 19, 1941, in Springdale, Arkansas, the son of Jefferson Lynnwood Wilson and Dorothy Marie Sears Wilson. He was raised in Oklahoma and during his school years was very active in sports, especially in football and baseball. In 1959, he graduated from Keota High School. Tommy proudly served his country in the United States Navy, having served during the Vietnam Era. During his service of twenty years, he received several awards and medals. After retiring from the Navy, he worked in the shipyards in San Diego for ten years. He married Cora Lynn Toothman. Prior to moving to Wills Point in 1991, he lived in San Diego, California. Tommy enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and restoring his 1953 Chevy. One thing he always looked forward to each year was attending his 1959 Class Reunion. He was a member of the American Legion, where he helped raise money for the Van Zandt County Veteran's Memorial Plaza in Canton. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Wills Point. Preceeded in death by his parents; grandparents, Rev. J.L. & Maggie Wilson and Thomas Richard & Florence Ray Sears; sister, Shirley Anne Wilson Johnson and former wife, Cora Lynn Wilson. Tommy is survived by his brother, Joe K. Wilson & wife, Cynthia K., of Rowland Heights, California and sister, Joy Honea & husband, Turner, of Wills Point; three nieces, Tabatha Wilson, Kimberly Wilson and Tammy Miles; four nephews, Joe K. Wilson, Jr., Jacob Allen Wilson, James Kelly Wright, Jr. and Michael Sean Wright and several great nieces and great nephews.

Phillip Wayne Eacret, Keota class of 1959, passed away around 9:00 A.M., Sunday, March 31, 2013. Phillip Wayne Eacret was born on November 30, 1941, in Keota, OK. He later, as an adult, moved to Oklahoma City and worked at Scrivner-Fleming Foods for 35 years. When he retired from there, he worked at Graphic Solutions Group for 5 years. At age 71, Phillip went home to his heavenly father on March 31 with his wife, Carolyn Eacret, and his brother, Jim Eacret, at his bedside. He was a strong Christian and loved the Lord. Everything he did demonstrated Christ’s love in his life. He is survived by a large family who all loved him very much: wife, Carolyn Eacret; children, Kelly Eacret, Randy Eacret and wife, Lisa, Christopher Taylor and wife, Kayla, Victoria Taylor; 3 brothers, Ben Eacret & wife, Ann, Hershel Eacret & wife, Helen and Jim Eacret & wife, Cindy; 1 sister, Linda Stoll & husband, Bob; 6 grandchildren, Alisha, Ashlee, Madison, Paris, London and Bo; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Jessie Eacret; 3 sisters, Marge, Midge and Wilma.

Jimmy Brown Classmate And Friend Of Class Of 1959

Although Jim Brown was not in our grade, he was a beloved schoolmate. Had he not moved from Keota at the beginning of his junior year, he was destined to be Keota's greatest all-time, all around athlete.  In spite of all his athletic talent and abilities he was a greater human being. He always took the time to encourage and acknowledge others. He was truly a friend of ours.

(The Modesto Bee) - Former East Union football coach Jim Brown, who led the Lancers to a 78-95-1 record and three Valley Oak League crowns, passed away while vacationing in Georgia. 

Jim Brown entered into rest on April 11, 2011 in Atlanta Georgia while vacationing with his beloved wife Jan. Jim was born in Keota, Oklahoma as the 5th of six children. He joins many family members in heaven including his parents; Beulah & Homer Brown, siblings; Bobby Brown, Jody Brown, and Sue Brown and his mother-in-law and father-in-law Genevieve & Earnest Holmes.

Jim is survived by his wife of 49 years Jan (Holmes) Brown. His children are Kirk and his wife Lisa Brown and Lisa Goodwin and her husband Randy. He was blessed with 4 grandchildren; Lynae Brown and her fiancé Ricardo Ovalle, Ryan Brown, Reed Goodwin and Marly Goodwin. His future great-grandchildren are Andrea Ovalle and Juan Ovalle. In addition, Jim has two surviving brothers Nuel Brown and his wife Yvonne and Tilton Brown and his wife Michelle. In addition Jim has one brother-in-law Truman Brown and one Sister-in-law Sandra Miller and her husband Hap as well as numerous nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

Jim married his high school sweetheart and began a family of his own in Manteca, Ca in 1962. He was an educator in Manteca Unified School District for over 38 years. Jim's enthusiasm about coaching never went unnoticed. Over the years as a coach he experienced many ups and downs, but win or lose he loved the kids. Jim’s true passion and love in his life was his family. Jim will always be remembered as a man of integrity and conviction who gave of himself freely to family, friends, his community and to his home church of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

Jimmy Brown will never be forgotten by his Keota classmates, schoolmates and teammates. He was a wonderful inspiration to so many!

Kenneth Gene Majors Coach for Class of 1959

Most of you remember Coach Majors. He coached Keota sports from the Fall of 1956 through the Spring of 1959.

He had his family by his side, when he died on February 24th, 2008 only a few days past his 75th birthday--as a result of pneumonia and complications of Alzheimer's Disease. He was born February 13, 1933 in Red Oak, Oklahoma, the second youngest of six children. After graduating and playing basketball on full scholarship at Texas Western University (now UTEP), he became a successful teacher, coach, school counselor and rice farmer. An early resident of Bel Marin Keys, he was a charter member and commodore of its local yacht club.

An avid traveler, he enjoyed visits to China, Russia and Europe. He was married and is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Patricia, her three children and six grandchildren. He is also survived by his family from Oklahoma, including his two daughters, Jan Mace and Jerri Wells, and grandchildren Deana and Brian Young, Dale and Dana Moody, Will and Lindsey Hart and Jana Holt. He is survived by three great grandchildren, Kendall Young and Payton and Jackson Moody. Also surviving are  two sisters, Alline Hoover and Louise Chirico, and his brother, Jack Majors. Preceding him in death were a brother, Marty Majors, and a sister, Juanita Bowser.

Albert Junior Perry A Brother of 1959 Classmate Dewayne Perry

Albert Perry, the brother of our classmate Wayne Perry, passed away on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. Albert was a retired professional rodeo cowboy. He was 81 years old. The Perry family is a integral part of  Keota history and folklore. The Perry family were Choctaw and most colorful. I can still visualize Perry's father strolling downtown  Keota with his broad brim western/rodeo hat and his five inch gun belt neatly wrapped around his waste. He was outgoing and never met a stranger. His children also had that same deameanor. Rodeo life was a passion of the Perrys. They were fearless when it came to riding broncs, bulls or any critter with four legs,and they are legends in rodeo circles.

John O'Dell, Coach When Class of 1959 Were Freshmen

John W. O’Dell, 87, passed away on December 14, 2012 in Tucson, Arizona.  He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Barbara; daughters, Christine and Vicki; grandson, William; sister, Patricia and brother, Jim.  He was a veteran of WWII and a member of the American Legion.  John graduated from Ball State Teachers College in Muncie, Indiana before moving to Keota, Oklahoma with his family in 1949.  He taught and coached basketball and baseball at Keota High School until moving to Owasso, Oklahoma in 1956, where he coached basketball and taught at Owasso High School.  He moved his family to Tucson, Arizona in 1958, where he continued to coach and teach.  He returned to Owasso High School in 1969 to teach and coach for 3 years before retiring.  John maintained a lifelong bond with his friends in Oklahoma, and returned as often as he could.  He will be interned at Ft. Gibson Veterans Memorial Cemetery following a memorial service on January 15, 2013 at 10:30 am at Mallory-Martin Funeral Chapel in Stigler, Oklahoma.

 On one of the annual reunions to honor him Coach O'Dell was presented a framed copy of "An ode to Coach O'Dell".

                                Ode to Coach O’Dell

He hails from up Indiana way where they say he got his education.

We all know his schooling started when coaching became his vocation.

He came to the town of Keota with a style of dignity and grace.

Back in Indiana they were saying, “Where in the world is this place?”

He brought to sports great knowledge and a passion for winning every game.

Little did he know there would be scores of coaches trying to do the same.

He coached every sport authorized by the school athletic association.

And if put on the list, no doubt he would have coached the Chippendale aggregation.

He was always neat and flawless from his head to the bottom of his feet.

And his flat top hair cut with white sidewalls was ideally suited for Oklahoma’s heat.

He acquired a saucy vocabulary that could be both persuasive and accommodating.

But if you happen to be wearing a stripped shirt, it could be most dehabilitating.

He developed a reputation for demonstrating a quick and volatile temper.

Somewhere there is an old medicine kit that can still be identified by its whimpers.

He later moved to the southwest where he joined the retirement gang.

But his love, devotion and appreciation for competitive sports never waned.

He still greets you with a firm handshake, a twinkling eye and a great big smile.

And some of the sports stories he tells will have you rolling in the aisles.

In his coaching career He casts a long shadow of firmness, perseverance and tenacity.

But when it comes to love and concern for his players there is an unlimited capacity.

There have been coaches before and since, and some are in the hall of fame.

But to those who played for Coach O’Dell, there is none better in the game.

Your Oklahoma Friends

 

Catherine Tucci Perryman (Wife of Classmate Gary (Max) Perryman)

Catherine Tucci Perryman, 72, died on September 25, 2013, following a long illness. Cathy worked tirelessly on behalf of children in the community as a teacher and administrator in the Granite School District in Utah, and a longtime advocate for the Utah Youth.

 

Clifford Lee Clyma

Clifford Lee (Butch) Clyma, a graduate of Keota High School in 1958, passed away on March 6, 2018. Clifford was born on January 30,1940 in Keota, Oklahoma. He was a long time resident of Verdigris, Oklahoma and was living there at the time of his death. Clifford completed grades one and two at Rockford Grade School, a small dependent school in Haskell County. He then attended Keota Public Schools, grade three through twelve, and graduated from Keota High School in 1958. Clifford married Faye Jane Clark on August 30, 1960. After his first wife's death, Clifford married Wilma (Lamb) Clyma, who graduated from Keota High School in 1960. Clifford attended classes at the University of Tulsa and worked for the Flint Steel before he started his own company in 1983. His company was Tower Components, Inc, a builder of communication towers. Clifford's sister, June (Clyma) Bailes is a member of the 1959 Keota High School graduating class.

If you are aware of a Classmate who should be added to this page please let us know.