NAME: ORAN F. FOWLER, AGE 84, COALGATE, OK RESIDENT, FORMERLY OF LEHIGH, OK.

BORN: JUNE 14, 1912 AT KERNS, TX TO ROBERT BOB AND CLARA ESTELLE (DANIELS) FOWLER. PASSED AWAY: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1996 AT MARY HURLEY HOSPITAL IN COALGATE, OK. AGE: 84 YEARS 3 MONTHS AND 19 DAYS. EDUCATION: ATTENDED SCHOOLS IN COAL COUNTY, OK. MARRIED: EDNA MAE WEBB IN 1938 IN COAL COUNTY, OK. ELLA MAE WILLIAMS ON SEPTEMBER ON OCTOBER 21, 1947 IN WICHITA, KS. OCCUPATION: HE WAS A FARMER & RANCHER, TRUCKER, AND SCHOOL BUS DRIVER. CHURCH AFFILIATION: MEMBER OF SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH AT LEHIGH, OK. ORAN WAS THE 10TH OF 13 CHILDREN, SHORTLY AFTER HIS BIRTH THE FAMILY MOVED TO OKLAHOMA. AS THE ELDEST SON, HE ASSUMED THE ROLE OF PROVIDER FOR HIS FAMILY AFTER HIS FATHER'S DEATH. HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE U. S. ARMY DURING WWII, ACHIEVING THE RANK OF COLONEL. HE WON RECOGNITION FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CROPS. HE WAS ACTIVE WORSHIPFUL MASTER IN THE EVERGREEN LODGE, AND WAS A 33RD DEGREE MASON WITH THE UNITED SUPREME COUNCIL. HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEMBER OF THE LEHIGH CITY COUNCIL WHERE HE SERVED FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS SENSE OF HUMOR AND TALL TALES, KEEPING AUDIENCES RAPT WITH ATTENTION. SURVIVED BY WIFE: ELLA MAE FOWLER OF THE HOME IN LEHIGH, OK. SONS: MARVIN AUTRY AND WIFE ELVERA OF LOS ANGELES, CA. FORREST AUTRY AND WIFE RUBY OF LOS ANGELES, CA. DAUGHTER: LESSIE (FOWLER) LESURE OF OKLAHOMA CITY. GRANDSONS: KARLOS AND DARRYL LESURE OF OKLAHOMA CITY. GRANDDAUGHTER: INDIA AUTRY OF LOS ANGELES, CA. GREAT GRANDCHILDREN: SHAUNTE LACY, TRISTIAN LESURE, AND KARLOS LESURE II OF OKLAHOMA CITY. SISTER: PARALEE (FOWLER) PLEASANT OF ATOKA, OK. PRECEDED IN DEATH BY PARENTS: ROBERT AND CLARA FOWLER. AN INFANT SON. FORMER WIFE: EDNA IN 1957. 11 BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

DATE OF SERVICES: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1996 AT 11:00 A.M. PLACE OF SERVICES: BROWN'S FUNERAL SERVICE ~ ATOKA, OK. INTERMENT: MIDWAY CEMETERY ~ LEHIGH, OK. OFFICIATING: REV. WILBURN BRUNER OF GREATER CANON BAPTIST CHURCH ~ OKLAHOMA CITY. ASSISTING: REV. R. M. LEFFALL. CASKETBEARERS: DELBERT POWELL, CECIL HILL, CARL SPEARS, ARVARD MCLELLAN, W. C. PULLIAM, BUCK DELOACH. HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: FREDDY BRICE, DAVID LEE HOLT, ORLON HILL, WESLEY ESTEP, JACK BATES. FLOWER BEARERS: IDA L. MCJUNKINS, VELVET LEE PERKINS, JACQUELYN FACION, JEWELL GAGE, CATHY WOODARD, BERNADINE PERKINS.