NAME: MARLAN BIRDSONG, AGE 67, A LONGTIME ATOKA AREA RESIDENT.

BORN: MARCH 28, 1934 AT LANE, OKLAHOMA TO WILLIAM REED AND NAOMI ELIZABETH (FLOWERS) BIRDSONG.

PASSED AWAY: SUNDAY MARCH 3, 2002 AT ATOKA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. AGE: 67 YEARS 11 MONTHS AND 5 DAYS. EDUCATION: ATTENDED SCHOOLS AT LANE, OK. OCCUPATION: MARLAN WORKED IN A SAWMILL, HE WAS A DETECTIVE WITH THE LEWISVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SERVED ON THE LEWISVILLE FIRE DEPTARTMENT AND LAKE RESCUE TEAM OVER 15 YEARS. AFTER COMING BACK TO ATOKA COUNTY, HE DROVE A SCHOOL BUS FOR LANE SCHOOLS. CHURCH AFFILIATION: LONGTIME MEMBER OF LANE BAPTIST CHURCH AND LATER ATTENDED THE FULL GOSPEL CHURCH; AS LONG AS HIS HEALTH ALLOWED, HE SERVED AS SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINDENT.

SURVIVED BY SONS: TODD BIRDSONG AND WIFE ANDREA OF LANE, OK. MONTY BIRDSONG AND WIFE ANGIE OF ATOKA, OK. GRANDCHILDREN: ELIZABETH GRACE BIRDSONG, WILLIAM COLTIN BIRDSONG, BLAKE REED BIRDSONG AND CALLIE DENE BIRDSONG. BROTHER: DWIGHT BIRDSONG AND WIFE MARY OF LANE, OK. SISTERS: JUNE BROWN OF TULSA, OK. ALENE COOPER OF ARCATA, CA. PRECEDED IN DEATH BY PARENTS: WILLIAM REED AND NAOMI ELIZABETH BIRDSONG. BROTHERS: DEWEY AND ANCEL BIRDSONG. SISTER: MELVIA BELCHER. grayline DATE OF SERVICES: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2002 AT 2:00 P.M. PLACE OF SERVICES: BROWN'S FUNERAL CHAPEL ~ ATOKA, OK. INTERMENT: BERA CEMETERY IN THE HARMONY COMMUNITY. OFFICIATING: REV. LARRY MURRAY. ASSISTING: REV. ROGER BROWN. CASKETBEARERS: LESTER BRADFORD, NORMAN BRADFORD, BILL BLEDSOE, JERRY NELL, JERRY RICHARDS, TERRY DANYEUR. HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: HAROLD THOMAS, BILL MILLER, HASKEL COOK, CLIFF BRADFORD, DR. RIPPEE, TERRY CALLICOAT.