Person Page 1,644

HOLDENVILLE DAILY NEWS

Thursday, October 26, 2000

JERRY GLEN CHEEK

Jerry Glen Cheek passed away on Wednesday, October 25, 2000, in Norman, at the age of 52. He was born

on April 22, 1948, in Santa Monica, California, to John Carl and Betty June (Farrand) Cheek. Although Jerry was

raised in Tulsa, he visited his grandmother, Blanche Cheek, in Holdenville on numerous occasions. Jerry’s mother and sister relate many stories of his growing up and his escapades throughout his high school years. Jerry entered the Army in 1966 and was transferred to Germany. While stationed in Germany, Jerry was

injured and subsequently placed on the permanent disability retired list by the U.S. Army. Jerry spent most of his

life in and out of military hospitals and care facilities, his last year was at the Oklahoma Veteran’s Center in

Norman where he interacted with and was well known by other veterans and staff members. It was said by many

that, "Jerry was Jerry", and he will be missed. Jerry is survived by his mother Betty June Irby of Tulsa; sister, Ann Lewis and her husband, Bill, of Olathe,

Kansas; daughter, Shauna Cheek and her daughter, Brittney, of Tulsa; several cousins, Theo Petete of Oklahoma City; Mary Evelyn Wilson, Lucille Collis, Horace Petete and Spencer Petete all of Holdenville.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, October 27, 2000, at Holdenville Cemetery with

Reverend Meredith Robinson officiating. Interment is under the direction of Hudson Phillips Funeral Home.

Obituary -- Holdenville Daily News, August 28, 1993:

Funeral services held for Carmen Middleton Carmen Ercel Middleton, a longtime Holdenville resident, was born March 27, 1907, in Keota, Oklahoma to

John B. Hill and Permilla Katherine Baker Hill, and passed away in the Valley View Hospital in Ada, Saturday afternoon, at the age of 86 years. Carmen has lived in Holdenville since 1917 and attended Holdenville school to the 7th grade. She was married to Leo Middleton on October 24,1924 in Holdenville. He preceded her in death in 1976. Mrs. Middleton had been a member of the Nazarene Church since 1934. She is survived by six daughters and five sons-in-law; Wandine and Leon Russell of Calvin, Oklahoma; Reba Joan and Darrell Spoon of Lees Summit, Missouri; Noami Ruth and J. C Moffeit of Brownsboro, Texas; Connie

Sue and Louis Little of Kiowa, Oklahoma; Pamela Kay McCoy of Shawnee, Oklahoma and Marshalla Lynn and Mark Gann of Lamar, Oklahoma; One son, Keese Allen Middleton of Kiowa, Oklahoma; Also, one sister, Jewell Votaw of Tracy, California; two sister-in-law, Opal Middleton of Holdenville and Pauline Adams of Terrelton, Oklahoma, 16 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a number of nieces and

nephews. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Wilma Jean North who died in August of 1987. Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, August 30, 1993 in the Nazarene Church with Rev. Meredith Robinson and Eddie Russell officiating. Burial was in the Holdenville Cemetery under direction of Hudson Funeral Home. Pallbearers were: Toby Spoon, Alan Russell, Keese Middleton, Leo North, Mark Gann and Dale Middleton. Honorary Pallbearers were Jess L. Dority, T.J. Johnson, John Baldwin, Kale Baldwin and Jackie Dority.

Family Story

Carmen Hill Middleton Remembering Christmas

Carmen Middleton was born in Keota, I.T. to Permelia and John Hill and has lived in Holdenville for 72 years, 52 of those years she has been a member of the Nazarene Church. She married Leo Middleton in Holdenville, October 19, 1924. They had 4 daughters, Wilma Jean, now deceased, Wandine, Reba and Naomi, they also raised 4 grandchildren. Carmen’s first memories of Christmas was of her father coming down the stairs as Santa Claus. They lined cane bottomed chairs in row, for Santa to put their gifts on. Santa would feel the chairs to see if the kids had put pins or tacks on them before depositing the gifts. Presumably this was too see if the children had been good. Carmen never had a Christmas tree until after she married. Leo’s first Christmas gifts to her were a Ruby ring and a Kodak.

Obituary -- Holdenville Daily News, August 26, 1987:

WILMA JEAN NORTH

Wilma Jean North, 119 North Walnut, died at her home Wednesday morning at the age of 61. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Church of the Nazarene with Rev. Denny Baylor and Meredith Robinson officiating. Burial will be in Holdenville Cemetery, under direction of Hudson Funeral Home. She was born in Holdenville March 1, 1926. She was reared in Holdenville and moved to Livingston, Tx. for six years before returning to Holdenville in 1981.

She was married to Robert V. North June 27, 1948 in Holdenville.

Survivors include her husband, Robert, of the home; one son Leo Earnest North, Shawnee; three daughters,

Bobbie Baldwin of Holdenville; and Debbie North, of Plains, Mont; her mother Carmen Middleton of

Holdenville; eight grandchildren; three sisters, Wandine Russell of Non; Reba Spoon, Lee's Summit, Mo., and

Naomi Moffitt, Brownsboro, Tx,. a sister-in-law, Betty Daigle, LaPort, Tx.; also several nieces and nephews.

HOLDENVILLE DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, March 28, 2001

OPAL MIDDLETON

Opal Gladys Middleton departed this life on March 25, 2001. She was born on May 17, 1910 to Frank and Burchie (Grissom) Crittendon in Yeager. Opal lived most of her life in Holdenville. She married to Ralph Marion Middleton on October 30, 1925. They had a son, Dale Middleton. Opal enjoyed fishing, hand work and visiting with her friends and relatives. She worked at Gilles Flower Shop for eighteen years prior to her retirement in 1979. Opal had been a member of the BPW and active in the

Methodist Women’s Sewing Club of Wetumka and in church work. Opal’s husband-Ralph, son, Dale Middleton, four brothers, J.W., Lessell, Doyle and J.C., and parents - Frank and Burchie Crittendon preceded her in death.

She is survived by her brother, Floye Crittendon and wife Geneva of Wewoka; daughter-in- law, Jeanne

Middleton of Holdenville; grandchildren, Brad Middleton, Lori Poos and husband Don of Dallas, Tex; Mona Middleton of Moore; sisters-in-law, Georgia Crittendon of Corpus Christi, Tx; Pauline Adams and husband, Roland of Trelton; Vinita Middleton of Walnut, Ca.; great- grandchildren, Mary and Mark Middleton of Duncan; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services are to be held at 2:oo p.m., Saturday, March 31, at St Paul Episcopal Church in Holdenville with Rev. Lynn Borrego officiating. Interment will follow the services at Holdenville Cemetery under the

direction of Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home. The family has requested in lieu of flowers that donations be made

to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church or the church of your choice.

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Opal Middleton Citizen of the Month

Opal G. Middleton was born in Yeager on May 17, 1910 to Frank and Berch Crittendon. They moved to the

Fairview Community where he farmed. Opal went to school the first two years at Fairview. They moved to Healdon where her father started work in the oilfield as a rig builder, the old rigs then where built with rough lumber. He followed the work and moved back to Yeager for a short time and then to

Holdenville. Opal attended Holdenville High School where she met Ralph, they were married October 30, 1925. One son, Dale, was born in Holdenville.

Opal worked for J.C. Penney's, Sharp’s, Wilders Vogue, and for Dunlap for 10 years. Then she worked for Gille’s Flowers 18 years before retiring in 1979. Opal joined the Nazarene Church in 1927. She was Sunday school teacher for 38 years, Sunday school

treasurer for 35 years, and missionary president 13 years. Opal is enjoying retirement and likes to fish, crochet and read. Ralph went to work for McGuire and Baldwin in 1925 and became a partner in the late 1930's. He worked

there until his death in 1982. Opal has three grandchildren, Brad, Lori, and Mona, and two great-grandchildren, Mark and Mary Ann Middleton. A wonderful Christian lady, Opal is one of t he finest Sunday school teachers to ever teach. She is deserving of this honor and we send our love and appreciation with it. The following poem. reminded us so much of Opal:

Give And It Shall Be Given

I helped a neighbor up a hill

And found to my surprise

I was near the peak I sought

And closer to the prize

I helped a blind man in the dark

And found to my delight

I arrived where I was going

As I led him that night

I gave a gift to needy children

And found to great joy

Each child I helped become to me

Like my own girl and boy

I cheered a lonely derelict

And found by healing grief

And touching him to fill and cheer

Christ touched me with His peace.

HOLDENVILLE DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, March 27, 1996

Services set for Dale E. Middleton

Dale Eugene Middleton departed this life on Tuesday, March 26, 1996, in an Oklahoma City hospital. A lifelong resident of Holdenville, Mr. Middleton was born June 27, 1926 to Ralph and Opal (Crittendon) Middleton. During his years at Holdenville High School, he played coronet in the Holdenville High School band, was active in vocal music, and served as Student Council president. Following his high school graduation in 1944, Mr. Middleton enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a Radioman 3rd Class stationed in San Diego, CA. He married Jeanne Doup in Holdenville on August 14, 1949. Mr. Middleton was employed at a family owned business, B&M Motor Company, from 1948 until 1968. From 1968 until 1971, he was project manager for the United States Department of Labor's Project Mainstream. He retired from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission on June 1, 1988, after serving 17 years as the local veterans employment representative. Mr. Middleton also served his community through his membership in The Benevolent and Protective Order

of the Elks where he served as Exalted Ruler and he enjoyed over 25 years of membership in the Holdenville Kiwanis Club. He was also a devoted Communicant of St. Paul's Episcopal Chruch where he served as treasurer

and lay reader as well as Sunday school teacher in past years. Mr. Middleton is survived by his beloved wife, Jeanne, and their children: Brad Middleton and his wife, Ann, of Duncan; Lori Middleton of Coppell, TX., and Mona Middleton of Moore; as well as his grandchildren, Mary and Mark Middleton and his mother, Opal Middleton of Holdenville.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Middleton. The life of Dale Middleton will be celebrated with the burial office at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Holdenville, with the Reverend Robert S. Kinney officiating, on Friday March 29, at 1:30 p.m. Burial following

the service will be at Holdenville cemetery under the direction of Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home. Pallbearers are Jerry House, Larry Dearing, Roger Dearing, John Vermillion, Craig Dearing, Corky Crittendon, and the Holdenville Kiwanis Club. The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

P.O. Box 69, Holdenville, Ok. 74848.