David Poplin

Luginbuel Funeral Home, Vinita - 918-256-5555 David Ray Poplin of Vinita, Oklahoma passed from his earthly life and entered the Church Eternal on Friday, March 21, 2014. David was born on May 10, 1928 in Adair, Oklahoma. His parents were Gaither Oliver and Kate Lorene Poplin. He attended school and graduated from Adair High School in 1946. He immediately enlisted in the U. S. Navy and was stationed in Washington D. C. He worked in the judge advocates office until he was honorably discharged in 1948. After his discharge he attended Oklahoma A & M (now Oklahoma State University) where he received his bachelor degree in Floriculture. While there he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. It was there he met his future wife, Barbara Faye Thompson. David put his education to work and in 1952 and 1953 he worked for Tom Ward's Florist in Bartlesville. It was there that he and Barbara were married on April 19, 1953. He and Barbara moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma where he was a grower in Graves Greenhouse and Florist Co. In 1954 he was hired by Wayside Gardens Nursery which at that time was the largest mail order nursery in the United States. The nursery was located in Mentor, Ohio and he spent the next ten years in their employment. In 1965 he left the greenhouse business and spent the next six years as Vice-President of the Nunamaker Construction Co in Mentor, Ohio. During the last four years of that employment he attended night law school at Cleveland State University and received his Juris Doctor Degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 1971. While in Ohio, he and Barbara had three children, Scott David, Laura Jane, and Lisa Kathleen. Because the family wanted to come back to Oklahoma, David and family left their home in Ohio and moved to Adair in May 1971. Even though David had studied Ohio Law, he took the Oklahoma Bar exam and was accepted to the Oklahoma Bar Association in July 29, 1971. He immediately set up his private practice in Pryor, Oklahoma and in 1973 began his partnership with Paul Blevins, a fellow attorney. In 1979 David and family moved to Vinita where he continued his practice in Pryor, but had his White Park Cattle Ranch. He was a member of the White Park Cattle Association until 1997. David became the Assistant District Attorney for Craig, Mayes, and Rogers counties in October, 1983 and held this position for eight years. After that he established his private practice in Vinita and remained until he retired in 2002. David was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Celia Lee Allison and Jackie Dale Davis, brother, Dickie George Poplin, and his granddaughter, Melissa Dawn Poplin. David was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Vinita, a member of Cherokee Nation, Adair Masonic Lodge, Adair Eastern Star, Akdar Shrine, and the Oklahoma Bar Association. He was a very loyal Oklahoma State University Alumni member and loved his OSU Cowboys. He was Past President of the White Park Cattle Association and also a past board member of the OSU Alumni Assn. He had also been a member of the Craig General Hospital Volunteers. David and Barbara celebrated their 60 year Anniversary in April, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son Scott Poplin and wife Janice of Barling, Arkansas; his daughter Laura Hatch and Husband Scott of Lawton, Oklahoma; Lisa Mixson and husband Tim of Vinita, Oklahoma, seven grandsons, five granddaughters, three great grandsons and two great granddaughters, and many nieces and nephews. Memorials can be sent to the First United Methodist Church in Vinita, OK. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at the Luginbuel Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church of Vinita with Rev. Sonja Tobey officiating. Interment will follow at Adair Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Luginbuel Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.honoringmemories.com

Visitation Details

Tuesday, March 25th, 2014 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Luginbuel Funeral Home Vinita

Service Details

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014 2:00pm, First United Methodist Church - Vinita

Interment Details

Adair Cemetery