NAME: EARL EDWARD TIDWELL, AGE 75, LONGTIME ATOKA COUNTY RESIDENT.

BORN: JULY 21, 1922 IN PADEN, OKFUSKEE COUNTY, OK TO TINE AND EVA (UPDEGRAFF) TIDWELL. PASSED AWAY: FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1998 AT ATOKA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. AGE: 75 YEARS 6 MONTHS AND 2 DAYS. EDUCATION: HARMONY, LANE, AND ATOKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. GRADUATED FROM ATOKA HIGH SCHOOL IN 1939 AND ENTERED THE CCC CAMP. MARRIED: EDITH LUCILLE MITCHELL IN 1943 IN ATOKA COUNTY, OK. JOSIE ELAINE EDGAR ON APRIL 5, 1996 IN STRINGTOWN, OK. OCCUPATION: RANCHER AND BUSINESS MAN. EARL CAME TO THE LANE COMMUNITY IN 1927 WITH HIS PARENTS, BROTHER CARL, MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS, AND AN UNCLE. THEY INITIALLY LIVED IN COVERED WAGONS ON THE BANKS OF THE MUDDY BOGGY. HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR FORCE IN 1942. HE WAS AN AIRPLANE MECHANIC GUNNER WITH THE 9TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON. HE SERVED IN RHINELAND AND ATTAINED THE RANK OF STAFF SGT. HE WAS DECORATED WITH THE AIR SERVICE METAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EAME THEATRE RIBBON, FOUR BRONZE BATTLE STARS, 1 SILVER BATTLE STAR, AND A BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER. EARL WAS MANAGER OF THE FARMERS CO-OP IN ATOKA FOR MANY YEARS, HE WORKED AS A SALESMAN FOR NICHOLS SEED CO., OWNED AND OPERATED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEN A MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTOR DEALERSHIP INTO THE 1970'S AND WAS ALSO CO-OWNER OF T AND T MILLING CO. HE ALSO OPERATED A RANCH WEST OF LANE FOR SEVERAL DECADES. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE LANE CHURCH OF CHRIST AND A LIFE MEMBER OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS (D.A.V.) CHAPTER 60 OF ATOKA. SURVIVED BY WIFE: JOSIE ELAINE EDGAR OF THE HOME IN STRINGTOWN, OK. SON: BOBBY EARL TIDWELL AND WIFE JUDY OF LANE, OK. GRANDCHILDREN: SETH, KARA, AND BOBBY JOE. STEPSONS: WAYNE EDGAR OF SULPHUR, OK. CHRIS EDGAR OF STRINGTOWN, OK. STEPDAUGHTER: MARILYN EDGAR OF ATOKA, OK. STEP GRANDCHILDREN: WAYNE JR, PRESTON, SUSAN, CLAYTON, STEVEN, ANGIE, STACY, RICHARD, MARIA, SABRINA, AND KALEM. STEP GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: TAYLOR, CHANCIE, ASHLEY, LOGAN, AND CHEYENNE. 5 NIECES AND 2 NEPHEWS. PRECEDED IN DEATH BY PARENTS: TINE AND EVA TIDWELL. WIFE: EDITH LUCILLE IN AUGUST, 1995. BROTHERS: CLAUD AND CARL TIDWELL SISTER: MARGARET JEAN TIDWELL

DATE OF SERVICES: MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1998 AT 2:00 P.M. PLACE OF SERVICES: BROWN'S FUNERAL CHAPEL ~ ATOKA, OK. INTERMENT: BUTLER CEMETERY ~ LANE, OK. OFFICIATING: REV. WAYNE EDGAR. CASKETBEARERS: RICKY JONES, TERRY JONES, BILLY WAYNE GOODSON, PAT KENNEDY, RICK RYAN, LEON YATES. HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: JACK BONNER, CLYDE PAXTON, DAVID JOE JOHNSTON, BUD WILLIAMSON, LEON JONES.