More Pictures from the Class of '66 Celebration of our turning 65 this year

Marilyn Ryker Gilder

Janice Coplan Little

Tina Malan Crane

Peggy O'Keefe Prado

Mary Sappington Mullins

JoEllen Beard

Kathy Crittendon Garringer

Connie, Debbie, Cindy, Lena & Marty

Carol Perkins Bivins

Athylyn Sayre Pool

Janice Meredith Curtis

Sharrie Schneider Killion

Donna Caster Ford

Carolyn Brandon Jones

Ginger West Matthews

Barbara Baker Reeves

Carolyn Wingo Travelstead

Janice & Mona Kidwell Hatfield

Peggy, Debbie, Marty, & Diana

Marchetta McSpadden Lashley, Athlyn & Susan

Cindy, Lena, & Marty

Carla Shunkey Dunlap & Patty Katakozinos

Beverly Carter Raley

Debbie Dunham Bryrum

Diane Thompson Parks & Alice Schilt Wilson

Susan Bowman

Dianna Gulley Gucwa

Old Friends

Left to Right

Donna Caster Ford, Beverly Carter Raley, and me LaNell Blackwell Boyer

I am sharing random pictures now.  I just really like this one.  This was

       taken in 2011. I rarely get a picture of myself, because I am usually 

       behind the camera, and that is where I like to be. 

       I will continue to post pictures from the most recent time together with

       the Ladies '66 Classmates.

Class of '66 Ladies Celebrating Our Turning 65 this Year

Marilyn Ryker Gilder

JoEllen Beard

Carol Diane Judkins Buratti

In Memory of Our Classmate

Diane Judkins

Carol Diane Buratti

                                                                   1948 - 2013

Carol “Diane” (Judkins) Buratti, age 65, passed away peacefully at her home in Oklahoma City, OK on Monday, September 16, 2013 surrounded by her family.  Diane was born on April 29, 1948 in Muskogee, OK, the third of three children of Harold and Martha Jane Judkins. Diane graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1966 and moved to Tulsa to attend Business School. She later relocated to Oklahoma City where she had a long, active career in the banking/investment business.  Survivors include brother Keith Judkins and his wife Valerie, and sister Barbara Judkins Boyd and husband Bill all of Owasso, OK. Stepsons Tony Buratti and wife Christy of Maryland, Corey Buratti of Oklahoma City, OK and grandson Kayden Buratti, who was the light of her life.  Also surviving are nephews, David Boyd of Tulsa, OK, Dale Boyd and wife Sharon of Owasso, OK, Jeffrey Judkins of Lander, WY and nieces Jessica Homburg and husband Michael of Arlington, VA and Dawn Rossignol of NJ. Diane was blessed with an abundance of loving friends and family. She was a very loving and giving person and her home was always open to friends or family who needed a little help.  She also loved camping, especially at Flint Ridge.  Diane was an animal lover and who always had a cat from the time she was a little girl. Thanks goes out to Senior Care Services and Heartland Hospice of Oklahoma City, OK for the wonderful and loving care they provided during Diane’s short illness. A very special thanks to Cindy and Paula, the two caregivers, that were by her side at all times.

A celebration of Diane’s life will be held in Muskogee at St Paul’s UMC on Saturday, Oct 12, 2013 at 1 PM.  In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to Heartland Hospice, 5015 N. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City, OK  73112 or Hirschberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 2990 Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 300C, Los Angeles, CA 90064.

Celebration!

Muskogee CHS Class of '66 Ladies

celebrating turning " 65" this year.
October 24, 2013

Our theme:  Still fabulous at "65"

James David Lovett

In Memory of David Lovett

Our Classmate

1948-2013

James “David” Lovett, 65, died Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at his home in Muskogee.  He was born June 12, 1948 to John J. and Mary E. Lovett living in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  He grew up in the Muskogee area and graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1966.

He worked for Amtrak nine years as an On-Board Service Director of the Passenger Train System in Chicago, New York, St. Louis, New Orleans and Columbia, MO.  He returned to Muskogee in 1974 and worked for the VA Medical Center in Muskogee, Mountain Home, TN, Huntington WV, Louisville, KY and Oklahoma City until 1998, when he retired as a Networking IT Manager and Microsoft Certified Engineer.

He was a member of Christ Gospel Church in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

He received two Hammer Awards from the Vice President of the United States for his contribution to improving the computer system that provides care for all Veterans.  He received a Master’s Degree from Indiana University in 1995, as a Computer Systems Engineer, a Minor degree in Political Science and Literature and was a qualified Microsoft Certified Engineer with Microsoft.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John J. Lovett, Jr. and Mary Ella Lovett and two sisters, Dorothy Prado of Tulsa and Jimmie Smith of Muskogee.

Survivors include one sister, Betty Zimmerman of Morris, OK; two brothers, Chuck Lovett of McHenry, IL and Billy Smith of Lawton, OK; several nieces, nephews and many relatives.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, November 21, 2013 at Fort Gibson National Cemetery with Chaplain Forrest Kirk officiating.

Funeral service arrangements are under the direction of Foster-Petering Funeral Home.  Condolences to the family may be made to www.foster-petering.com

Judy Ann Fain Donelson

In Loving Memory of Our Classmate

Judy Fain Donelson

1948-2013

 

Obituary 

Judy Ann Donelson

1948 - 2013

Funeral services for Judy Ann Donelson, 64, of Fort Gibson, OK, were held at 2:00 P.M. Monday, August 5, 2013 at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery with Bill Crow officiating. Services were under the direction of Lescher-Millsap Funeral Home of Muskogee.

Judy was born September 1, 1948 at Muskogee, OK, the daughter of Ralph and Edith (Howard) Fain and died Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at her home in Fort Gibson. On January 4, 1993, she married Walter Lee “Skip” Donelson in New Orleans and they enjoyed 20 years of being together. Prior to retirement, Judy had worked at the V. A. Hospital as Operating Room Supervisor for 20 years. She was a faithful and dedicated nurse who loved taking care of the veterans and enjoyed working with her fellow co-workers. She was of the Catholic faith.

Survivors include her husband, Skip, of the home; two children, Jimmy Darrell Overbey of Muskogee, Molly Elizabeth (Overbey) Frazier of Oklahoma City; granddaughter, London Frazier; brother, Ralph Perry Fain and wife, Coza, of Collinsville; several nieces, nephews, other family members, and many friends.

 

 

Cynthia Kaye Barger Coburn

In Loving Memory of Our Classmate

Cindy Barger Coburn

1948-2013

July 11, 2013

Cynthia Kaye Coburn

1948 - 2012

Cynthia Kaye Coburn (Cindy) died unexpectedly last week while she and Jim were visiting her aunt in Panama City, Florida.  She was born July 11, 1948 in Muskogee to Betty and Kendall Barger and was the granddaughter of Jessie and Frank Sherman and Bruce and Leoline Barger.  Cindy grew up in Muskogee, where she graduated from Central High School in 1966.  She studied dance at OU and then graduated from Northeastern State University. Her sense of adventure led her to live in Las Vegas and New Orleans, before returning to Muskogee where she met and married Jim Coburn in 1974.  Cindy’s biggest dream was realized when she and Jim were blessed with 4 children and her life was centered around her family. Many happy memories were created with family and friends on ski trips to their cabin in Breckenridge and summers spent at Sequoyah Club. For several years Cindy donated her time choreographing and directing the Muskogee High School “Show Stoppers” and also helped with the choreography in several local musicals.  She also enjoyed traveling, painting, cooking, spending time with family (especially her 9 grandchildren and ordering out of mail order catalogs. Her family and many friends over the years remember Cindy as “classy”, beautiful, hilarious, fun-loving, witty….and fearless.  She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church.

Cindy was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Bruce.  She is survived by: her husband Jim of the home, children and spouses: Kendall and Jeff Roberts of Muskogee, Jordan and John Pool of Muskogee, Collin and Nikki Coburn of Tulsa, Blake Coburn of Dallas, 9 grandchildren: Ethan, Piper, Hudson, Julian and Chloe Roberts, Will and Luke Pool and Charlie and Susie Coburn, her aunt Betty June (Barger) Strange of Panama City, Florida, her cousins Sandi Rosson of Muskogee, Loretta Rogers of Houston, Texas and Jeanine Kolstad of Granbury, Texas and friends who loved her.

Memorial services were at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013 at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Rev. Mark Jardine officiating.

Funeral service arrangements were under the direction of Foster-Petering Funeral Home.  Condolences to the family may be made at www.foster-petering.com

In Memory of Our Classmate

June 18, 2013

Ben L. Baker

1948-2013

— Ben L. Baker of Muskogee, Oklahoma passed away at the age of 64 from cancer on June 17, 2013. He was born on October 15, 1948 to the late Bill and Joyce Baker. Ben was a 1966 graduate of Muskogee Central High School. He attended Northeastern University and graduated in 1970 with a history and physical education degree.

In the fall of 1971, Ben went to Gore, Oklahoma to start their first football program. In his six years at Gore, Ben and his players completed many successful seasons. Ben worked with and met many wonderful people at Gore who remained so dear to him his entire life. Ben’s former football players honored him in October 2012 with an appreciation dinner at their Friday night football game where they presented him with a plaque that read, “In appreciation to Ben Baker for a great foundation we are continually building upon” Gore Pirates Past, Present and Future 2011.

In June of 1977, Ben and his family moved to Muskogee where he became an assistant coach for the Muskogee Roughers. In 1982, he went back to head coaching at Hilldale High School and from there he went to Fort Gibson High School as an assistant football coach until his retirement in 1999. Ben then enjoyed being a lay coach for the Bacone College football program and then Wagoner High School.

Ben is survived by his wife, Bonny; his daughter, Jill Smith and husband, Darrin; sons, Scott Baker and wife, Sarah, Brent Baker and wife, Candi; his brother, Mike Baker and wife, Phylis; his brothers-in-law, Dr. John Miller and wife, Alexandria, Don Miller and wife, Kathy; his nieces, Connie, Amy, Jennifer, Kristy, and Tiffany; his nephew, Mark Miller; and his five grandchildren that were his greatest source of love and joy in his life, Bayley Baker, Brenli Baker, Grayson Smith, Mallory Baker, and Maggie Baker.

The family would like to express a sincere and special thanks to Hometown Hospice employees, Kathy, Rhonda, Tonya, Candy, and Janet, who were always so kind and caring; and also to Dr. David Kyger.

Family visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at Cornerstone Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church, 600 E. Okmulgee St., Muskogee, Oklahoma, 74403, or to the memorial fund that has been set up at Armstrong Bank of Muskogee in honor of Coach Ben Baker to be distributed to the football programs of all the schools he has coached.

Funeral services celebrating the life of Ben will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 20, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church in Muskogee with Rev. Bill Lee and Rev. Cindy Culver officiating. Interment will follow at Agnew Cemetery with Mike Scantlin, Stan Sheffield, Clay Edwards, Jamie Young, Curt Denton, Larry Callison, Don Stout, and Stephen Smalley serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be all former players of Coach Baker’s teams, Tigers, Pirates, Roughers, and Bulldogs.

Services are under the direction of Cornerstone Funeral Home and Crematory, 1830 North York Street, Muskogee, Oklahoma. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cornerstoneofmuskogee.com

In Memory of Our Friend and Classmate