Obituaries

Dec 25, 2020

Loren Dale Heater, age 77, Afton, OK passed away Friday, December 25, 2020 in Grove, OK.  He was born July 20, 1943 in Longton, KS. to the late Monroe Dale Heater and Wilma Louise Taylor Heater.  Following his service in the U.S. Navy, he worked as a truckdriver for construction companies for many years, retiring from owning his restaurant....

Dec 24, 2020

James Stephen Conatser, known to friends and family as Steve or “The Judge,” passed away Thursday, December 24, at the age of 72 in Bartlesville, Okla.

Steve was born on July 11, 1948 and spent most of his childhood in Bartlesville.   He graduated from Bartlesville College High in 1966 and started college at NEO in...

Dec 23, 2020

Charles Franklin Bergman, 81 year old lifetime resident Grove, passed away Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at the Jack C. Montgomery Veterans Hospital.  Charles was born in Grove on March 11, 1939 to Wesley and Melvina (Scott) Bergman.  He graduated from Grove High School and went on to serve in the United States Army.  On March 27, 1965 he was...

Dec 23, 2020

BENJAMIN FUNERAL SERVICE NOWATA, OKLAHOMA 918-273-2700....

Elizabeth Ann “Becky” Price went to her heavenly home at the age of 83 on December 23rd 2020 with her husband of 65 years by her side. Becky was born in Old Alluwe on October 1st, 1937 to William Chester Fink and Vera Dora Dean “Goad” Fink. She graduated from Alluwe...

Dec 23, 2020

Carl Leroy Higeons came into this world with a great celebration! Born on the 4th of July 1918 in Talala, Oklahoma, Carl was the first child to bless the home of Clyde Rosville and Lola Claris Bray Higeons and the first grandchild of Dora Bray Paullus. World War I was about to end, horse and buggy was the most...

Dec 23, 2020

Longtime Nowata County resident Dale Edward "Duke" Epperson passed away unexpectedly in his home December 23, 2020. He was born August 26, 1943 at their home in rural Nowata County at roads 410 & 19, 1/2 mile from where he lived the last 65 years. His parents were Lloyd E. and Edna (Gibson) Epperson. He was a 1961 graduate...

Dec 23, 2020

Donald C. Woods, age 84 of Rose, OK (formerly of Colcord, OK), passed away on December 23, 2020 at the East Gate Village Healthcare Center in Muskogee, OK.

He was born on December 15, 1936 in Newton KS to Leonard and Nora Woods.  He retired in 1978 from the United States Air Force after serving our country...

Dec 22, 2020

Thomas Bryan Caswell, 65 year old lifetime resident of Zena, Oklahoma, passed away on December 22, 2020.

Tomy “Burley” was born on May 30, 1955 in Vinita, Oklahoma.  He was the oldest child born to Bryan Caswell and Peggy (Keeter) Caswell.  Tomy graduated from Grove High School in the class of 1973.  Tomy started delivery mail “Route...

Dec 22, 2020

Betty Jean Loffer, age 92, Coffeyville, KS passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2020.

She was born August 16, 1928 in Jay, OK to the late Gus Tankersley and Ida Mae Sixkiller Tankersley.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Spud Loffer; two children, Larry Loffer and Vivian Murray; two...

Dec 22, 2020

Joshua Austin Mease, 27 went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on December 22, 2020. He was born April 13, 1993 in Grove, Oklahoma to his parents Rebecca Mease of Grove, OK and Darrell Mease of Jay, OK.  Josh was a student at Northeastern State University - Tahlequah and was a lifelong resident of Grove, OK....

Dec 21, 2020

Mary Lou (Fields) Sturges, age 84, passed away on December 21, 2020 at Higher Call Nursing Center in Quapaw, Oklahoma.

Mary Lou was born on July 12, 1936 in Vinita, Oklahoma.  She was the daughter of Leroy Owen Fields and Mable Pearl (Cates) Fields.  She was united in marriage to Carles Wayne “Dick” Sturges on May 24,...

Dec 21, 2020

Jerry Pat Allamon, passed in peace, at the age of 70 on December 21, 2020 in Montgomery, Texas. He is survived by the love of his life, Shirley Jennings Allamon, and they were married for 47 years. He was the loving father of 2 daughters, Patricia Allamon and Jessica Taylor; and father in law, to Steve Taylor. He was...

Dec 21, 2020

John Calvin Arrington, Jr., age 75, Jay, OK passed away Monday, December 21, 2020.

He was born July 10, 1945 in Tulsa, OK to the late John Calvin Arrington, SR. and Nora Allen Arrington. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Eric Fry.

He worked as a pipeline operator...

Dec 19, 2020

BENJAMIN FUNERAL SERVICE NOWATA, OKLAHOMA 918-273-2700...

Sherry Yvonne Parris, 72, of Nowata, passed away at her home Saturday, December 19, 2020. Born in Nowata County December 21, 1947 to Claude Pleasant and Betty Jo (Inman) Wickliffe, Sherry remained a lifelong resident of Nowata, Oklahoma. She was a graduate of Nowata High School and continued her education at...

Dec 18, 2020

Arlene Williams, 81, was born on January 2, 1939 in Brooklyn, NY, to Frank Samuel and Frances Beverly Paskow. She passed away at age 81 on Friday, December 18, 2020 in Apple Valley, CA.

As the youngest of two children, she grew up in Reseda, CA, graduating from Canoga Park High School in 1956. She...

Dec 18, 2020

James D. Smith

12/22/35 – 12/18/20

After a hard-fought battle with cancer, James “Jim” D. Smith of Vinita, OK, peacefully transitioned to heaven at his home on December 18, 2020, at the age of 84, four days from his 85th birthday.  His family was in his presence at the time he went to...

Dec 18, 2020

Don was born on June 23, 1930 to Virgil and Beulah Schoeni of rural Kensington, KS.  He attended the eighth-grade country school and graduated Kensington High School.  As a senior at the University of Kansas he met his future wife.  After graduation Don enlisted in the Air Force and was qualified for pilot training.  After basic pilot he was...

Dec 17, 2020

Patricia (Augustine) Marshall Ensch, 100, of Bartlesville, passed away Thursday, December 17, 2020 at Bartlesville’s Brookdale South.

Patricia was born October 18, 1920 to Hubert and Augusta Marshall on a farm near Cockrell, Kansas.  She was the second of four children.  Following her high school graduation, Patricia moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma where she was employed as a...

Dec 15, 2020

Shirley Lucile Walker was born in Bluejacket Oklahoma to Callie and Lou-Anna (King) Epperson on Oct. 3 1935.  Shirley passed away on Tuesday Dec. 15 2020 at Heartsworth Nursing Center and Rehabilitation in Vinita Oklahoma.

Shirley will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Shirley is proceeded in death by her parents Callie...

Dec 15, 2020

Martin Bennett Kay, “Marty B” was born on August 24, 1946 in Vinita, OK to Bennett & Dixie Kay. He was born on South Scraper while his Dad was seating visitors at the Vinita Rodeo. He passed away on December 15, 2020 at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK with both of his daughters nearby. Marty was the father...