Obituaries

Funeral services for Marty Jay Hart of El Reno were held Monday, Dec. 2 at First United Methodist Church with Steve Entz officiating.

Burial followed in the Hydro Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Lockstone Funeral Home of Weatherford.

Marty passed away Nov. 25, 2024, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. He was born Sept. 6, 1960, in Oklahoma City to Ray LeRoy and Twila Janet (Bordwine) Hart. He was raised in Hydro and graduated from Hydro High School in 1979.   

Funeral services for Theresa Lynn Killsnight were held Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Concho Emergency Response Center. Burial was in the Concho Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Theresa died Nov. 26, 2024, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. She was born March 24, 1973, in Lawton.

A graduate of El Reno High School, she moved to Albuquerque, N.M., later returning to reside in Bethany.

She was a hair stylist and a member of the Indian Baptist Church.

Kristi Lynn Thomas Jeffrey was born in Crane, Texas, on Jan. 23, 1969, to Robert “Bob” Thomas and Marlene Fails Thomas. The baby of the family was welcomed to the world by sisters, Karen and Caroline (KK), and brother, Jay.

Like most families in Crane, they were there for the oil in the ground. The town is no bigger than 700 acres, but Kristi spoke of it often and carried its memories for the rest of her life. 

The Thomas family headed north to Norman, Okla., in 1980, where Kristi graduated from Norman High School in 1987.

Services for Janet J. (Crownover) Girard of Oklahoma City will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at El Reno Wesley United Methodist Church with Rev. Scott Keneda and Rev. Cydni Tillery officiating. A graveside committal will follow at 2 p.m. in the Greenwood Cemetery in Weatherford, under the direction of Lockstone Funeral Home of Weatherford. 

Janet passed away Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon. She was born Dec. 9, 1947, to Chet and Eileen Crownover of Oklahoma City. 

Services for Gilbert “Sonny” Lamebull III will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at the Concho Emergency Response Center with Revs. Sam and Ruby Horse officiating. Burial will be at the Concho Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Sonny died Dec. 2, 2024, at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was born March 23, 1968, in Clinton. He worked as a cook in several restaurants in Texas and Oklahoma and was a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. 

A celebration of life service for Lonnie Paul Mathews II will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 at Red Rock Methodist Church in Calumet with Rev. Mary Irby officiating. Services are under the direction of Turner Funeral Home, Hinton.

Lonnie passed away Nov. 28, 2024, at his home in Calumet. He was born Aug. 30, 1971. A graduate of Geary High School, Lonnie worked in the HVAC industry for many years.

Billy G. Snelling of El Reno passed away Nov. 23, 2024, at River Oaks Nursing Home.

He was born to Frank A. and Lena “Louise” (Zweiacher) Snelling at Catto Hospital, El Reno, on June 2, 1944.

Billy served 13 years in the military, beginning his career with the National Guard, then enlisting in the Army, being stationed in Germany, then serving two tours in Vietnam, and was honorably discharged in 1974.

Jesse Allen Hensley, 100, passed from this life Nov. 20, 2024, at St. Thomas West Hospital, Nashville, Tenn., surrounded by his family. 

Jesse was born March 2, 1924, in Three Sands, Okla., to Bessie Lenora Wyatt and Jesse Mathis Hensley. He was one of eight children, all who have preceded him in death - Inez Irene (Mary) Dungate, William Russell Hensley, Rena Louise Leedy, Clarence Levi Hensley, Betty Marie Boling, Merle Edwin Hensley and Joyce Elaine Van Auken.  

James “Jim” Pettit, 73, of Newcastle, passed away Nov. 23, 2024. He was born Sept. 5, 1951, in El Reno. 

Jim was preceded in death by his father, Charles Franklin Pettit; brother, Charles “Chuck” (Nancy) Pettit; brother, Michael “Bubba” Pettit; brother, Jeffrey Pettit; and his daughter, Jenna Toumbs. 

Jim is survived by his mother, Dolores (Fred) Burley; his wife, Lori Pettit; sister, Jeanne Willis; children, Amanda (Michael) Hawkins, Josh (Catie) Pettit, Dustin (Remington) Pettit, Derek (Jackie) Pettit and Aspen Pettit. 

Davis “Joe” Garcia was born in El Reno on Sept. 24, 1953. He was a lifelong resident of the community. He was still close with many of the kids he had grown up with from the old neighborhood.

When Joe was 12, he started throwing newspapers. At times he had three or four routes including the El Reno Tribune, The Daily Oklahoman and the Oklahoma Times. 

Joe graduated from El Reno High School in 1972. He credited Jack Dyer with starting his photography career. He traveled all across Oklahoma taking pictures of El Reno High School football, basketball and baseball.