Published: April 09, 2007 10:09 am            

Obituaries, April 8

Douglas William Huffman

Douglas William Huffman, 77, of Oklahoma City passed away March 27, 2007. Services were 2 p.m. April 2 at Arlington Memory Gardens. Services were under the direction of Bill Eisenhour Northeast Funeral Home. He was born Feb. 25, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas. He served his country in the U.S. Army during 1947-1950. He retired from Tinker Quality Control Inspector. He is survived by two sons, Marvin Huffman of Midwest City and Vaughn Huffman of Norman; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a loving church family. He was preceded in death by his mom, Effie Mae; and his grandmother, Mary Sanford.



Ruth I. Proctor

Ruth I. Proctor, 98, formerly of Jones passed away April 3, 2007, in Burleson, Texas. She was born Feb. 27, 1909, in Luther, to Frank and Mellie Atterberry. She worked for the U.S. Post Office in Jones for many years. She married Lionel Fred Proctor Dec. 25, 1926. She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her three children, Kenneth Proctor, Richard Proctor and Patricia Powell; and a host of other family and friends. Graveside services were 1 p.m. April 7 at the Jones IOOF Cemetery. A viewing was 9:30 to 11 a.m. April 7 at Browns Funeral Parlor in Luther. Services were under the direction of Browns Funeral Parlor in Luther.



Netheline “Nan” Callaway

Netheline “Nan” Callaway, 88, died March 30, 2007, in Plano, Texas. A funeral service was 2 p.m. April 5 at the First Baptist Church in Midwest City. Burial followed at Arlington Memory Gardens. Services were under the direction of Bill Eisenhour Southeast. She was born Dec. 25, 1918, in Mountain View, to Joseph and Virginia (Terry) Jenkins. She moved the Midwest City area from Chickasha in 1947. Nan married Lenard Callaway in Oklahoma City June 5, 1959. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Midwest City and was an administrative assistant for the FAA. She resigned to work with Lenard on other business ventures. She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Lenard Callaway; three stepchildren, Tricia Callaway Bolz, Tony and Michael Callaway; and many nieces and nephews.



William Thomas Mason Jr.

William Thomas Mason Jr., known as “Mr. Bill,” 68, of Jones passed away March 30, 2007, in his home. Funeral services were 1p.m. April 5, 2007, at Bill Eisenhour Northeast Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed at Jones IOOF Cemetery in Jones. Bill Eisenhour Northeast. He was born June 10, 1938, to William Thomas Mason Sr. and Lucille Neoma “Pulis” Mason in Weatherford. He served his country in the U.S. Navy and his made his career as a mechanic in the automobile industry. He is survived by his sisters, Margie Green, Wanza Bredbenner and Maranitta Rackleff, all of Jones; his children, William T. Mason III, Gina Morris and John Mason, all of San Francisco, Calif.; four grandchildren; and his very dear friend, Kelly Richter.



Irene Hammon Leach

Irene Hammon Leach, 94, passed away April 3, 2007. Funeral services were 11 a.m. April 6 at Bill Eisenhour Northeast Chapel. Burial followed at Arlington Memory Gardens in Midwest City. Services were under the direction of Bill Eisenhour Northeast. She was born June 16, 1912, to Oliver G. and Ellen (Ingle) Hammon in Ontario, Calif. She was the youngest of 11 children, who are all are deceased. She moved from California to Elgin in 1920 and then to Choctaw, where she attended school until graduating in 1930. She married H.A. Lawrence of Jones. They had one son, Harold; and one daughter, Pauline Victory Cluen. After a divorce in 1938, she met and married Edward Leon Leach Dec. 24, 1942. They moved to Midwest City in December 1943. They resided in Midwest City until April 1958 when they moved to an acreage on Douglas Boulevard. Mr. Leach preceded Irene in death Aug. 7, 1981. She is survived by a daughter, a son, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.



Floralee Dunham Dearmond

Floralee Dunham Dearmond, 79, passed away April 5, 2007. She is survived by her husband, Floyd DeArmond of the home; a son, Mike Dunham and wife Creada of Norman; a daughter, Rita Kochenower and husband David of Mesquite, Texas; and four grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Arthur Dunham; two brothers, Clinton and Julian; and two sisters, Clara and Geneva. A funeral service was 2 p.m. Saturday at Bill Eisenhour N.E. Chapel with burial to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City. Services were under the directioin of Bill Eisenhour Northeast Funeral Service.



Joseph Earl Long

Joseph Earl Long, 87, passed away April 4, 2007. He was born April 23, 1919, in Oklahoma City to George and Lura Long. He was a 50 year member of Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 0993. He worked for Oklahoma Transportation Company and Mid Continent Trailways as a bus driver and maintenance manager. He was an U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He is survived by a daughter: Linda Tharp and husband Gary Tharp; two grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; and many others. Funeral services were 10 a.m. Saturday at Bill Eisenhour Southeast Chapel with burial at Sunny Lane Cemetery. Servicers were under the direction of Bill Eisenhour Southeast Funeral Service.



Max Holland Martin

Max Holland Martin, a former Midwest City resident, was born Jan. 14, 1916 in Polk County, Texas, to Honor Elizabeth Nowlin and James Henry Martin. He was the 10th of 11 children and the youngest son. In 1947, he married Nathalie Dykeman, the love of his life. Kayron Maxine was their first child, followed by Zula Faye, Max William and Nathalie Iona. Family was very important to Max. He was a doting son, he loved his brothers and sisters, and he became the favorite uncle of many of his nieces and nephews.

His family moved from Texas to Oklahoma, finally settling in the Seminole area. He graduated from Carr City and attended college at East Central in Ada in spurts. But in 1941, he joined the Marines and was sent to the island of Guam. He and his fellow soldiers were captured by the Japanese and he spent 44 months in a hell on earth.

Upon his release, he returned to East Central, where he met and married Nathalie on April 3, 1947. On their 60th wedding anniversary, he left this earth to join his bride. Max spent most of his working life with Warren Petroleum, a subsidiary of (then) Gulf Oil. He was good with his hands and good with numbers and used those talents to help his family and friends. He served many years as the treasurer of the church of Christ in Maysville, and later as an elder of the church of Christ in Stratford. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Maysville AFL-CIO local and in that position helped numerous people in their employment issues. He served on the school board at Maysville, and on the Selective Service Board of Garvin County. He was a member of the Stratford American Legion post and was a Mason.

He loved sports, fishing and dominoes, and he loved to laugh and to tease. Family was important to him, and he and Nathalie loved each other, their children and their grandchildren deeply. His fellow POWs from Zensuji played a big role in his life, particularly John “Tiny” LaGrone and A.R. “Boogie” Miller and their families.

After Nathalie’s death in 1995 and the loss of Kayron and his injuries in their accident in 1996 he more rapidly declined. In 1998, he moved with his mother- and sister-in-law, Zula and Berniece (“Chick”) Dykeman to Midwest City. He lived several places including Teal Ridge in Edmond and the OKC VA hospital before moving to the Norman Veterans Center in October 2004.

He is survived by his daughter Faye and husband Jim Morton of Choctaw, his son Max W. and wife Candace of Ardmore, his daughter Iona Martin of Oklahoma City, son-in-law Danny Fogle and wife Joy of Oklahoma City, grandchildren Derrell Fogle, wife Karmen, and progeny—Kim, Kristen, Jacob, and Jarrod — all of Jones, Maj. Deedra Fogle of Albuquerque, N.M., Melanie, Derek and Daren Martin, and Derek’s daughter Taryn, all of Ardmore, and Jake Morton and wife Katie of Tulsa who anticipate the arrival of James “MAX” Morton in May. He also is survived by his sister Lucy Hill of Seminole, OK, sisters-in-law Berniece Dykeman of Midwest City and Eleanor Martin of Axtell, Nebraska, and a host of relatives and friends.

Our thanks to the staff of NVC who were so thoughtful and caring of Max during his last months and days, and the many friends and family who have given us love and support. The family suggests donations to the Norman Veterans Center Patients’ Benefit Fund or the Stratford church of Christ in lieu of flowers.



Delight Marvel Niehaus

Delight Marvel Niehaus, 82, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Harrah died April 4, 2007 at Living Center East following an extended illness. Private family services will be held at Cedar Memorial Funeral Home. Private family burial will take place at Parkersburg Cemetery, Parkersburg, Iowa. Niehaus is survived by four daughters, Karen Ferry and husband Dennis of Cedar Rapids, Marvel Watts and husband Vernon of St. Louis, Mo., Cheryl Osweiler and husband Timothy of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tonya Henricks of Longview, Wash.; a son Merle Niehaus of Harrah; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands Everett Gray and Delbert M. Niehaus, three brothers Leland Dellinger, Russell Dellinger, and Ralph Dellinger; and a sister Luella Lorenz. She was born Feb. 21, 1925 in Shellrock, Iowa, the daughter of David and Dena (Kramer) Dellinger. She married Everett Gray in 1946. She married Delbert M. Niehaus in 1964 in Galena, Ill. She was a 1964 graduate of Gates Business College. She was a realtor in Waterloo, and for the majority of her career she spent with her children in the family home. One can leave a message, tribute, or memory to Delight’s family at www.cedarmemorial.com, under Obituaries.



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