Obituaries

Funeral services for Homer Neal Gholston were held Thursday, June 24 at Wilson Funeral Home, with burial following in the El Reno Cemetery.

Homer was born March 4, 1932, in El Reno to Homer Franklin and Wilma (Smith) Gholston. He grew up in El Reno and attended El Reno Public Schools, graduating from El Reno High School in 1950.

The Korean War broke out shortly after graduation and he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received a bachelor of science degree from California State College in Long Beach and was a graduate of the Army Language School in Monterey, Calif.

Funeral services for Carrol Jean Mason were held Friday at New Hope Baptist Church with Pastor Dick Kurtz officiating. Burial followed in the El Reno Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Carrol died June 22, 2021, at St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center in El Reno. She was born Dec. 24, 1937, at Karns Spur to Arthur and Ina (Sand) Tech. She was salutatorian of the 1956 graduating class of Calumet High School and a member of New Hope Baptist Church, Red Hatters and NARVRE, serving as treasurer/secretary of the El Reno unit.

Prayer service for Elizabeth Margaret Kuehn was held on Wednesday, with Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with Rev. Cory Stanley and Deacon Max Schwarz officiating. Burial followed at Holy Trinity Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Betty passed away June 20, 2021, in Kingfisher. She was born Feb. 18, 1926, in Okarche. Betty worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Okarche for 35 years. She was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Okarche and Catholic Daughters of the Americas and Altar Society.

Nettie Lou Eaton passed away peacefully June 19, 2021, at her home surrounded by her family, after a long battle with ALS. She was born Jan. 10, 1936, in El Reno to James and Ella Moody.

Nettie was a graduate of El Reno High School. After graduation, she married Chester Eaton on Sept. 6, 1953. Aside from some time away on Chester’s military assignment, she lived the remainder of her life around their family farm west of El Reno. She was a member of First Christian Church of Calumet.

Samuel Grant Griesel Jr., 80, of El Reno, passed away on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at Integris Baptist Medical Center surrounded by his family. He was born Dec. 31, 1940, to Samuel Grant Griesel and Ida Josephine Wright Griesel of El Reno. He has one brother, Stephen E. Griesel of El Reno.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

Funeral services for Bonnie Lee Padgett were held Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at the El Reno Cemetery Pavilion with Pastor Kevin Fouts of Discovery Church in Yukon officiating. Services were under the direction of Wilson Funeral Home.

Yolanda Rae Jackson passed away June 12, 2021, in Oklahoma City. She was born Aug. 15, 1986, in Clinton. Yolanda grew up in California and attended Ventura High School.

She was a member of the Pentecostal Church in El Reno.

Survivors include her mother, Stephanie Wolfe of Fort Cobb; her siblings, Kelvin Goodbear of Fort Cobb and Jacqueline Jackson of El Reno; and numerous half brothers and sisters.

No services are to be held. Arrangements are under the direction of Turner Funeral Home, Hinton.

Funeral services for Doris Jean McBee, 89-year-old Oklahoma City resident, will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in the Resthaven Funeral Home Chapel, with burial to follow in Resthaven Cemetery, Oklahoma City.

Visitation for family and friends will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 20, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, June 21 at Huber-Benson Funeral Home, El Reno. Also, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 22 at Resthaven Funeral Home. Services are under the direction of Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home of Enid.

Funeral services for Dr. Col. Virgil Jerry Shepherd will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 19 at Bethany Assembly of God.

Dr. Shepherd died June 11, 2021, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. He was born Dec. 2, 1931, in Seminole County.

Jerry graduated from Norman High School and from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He continued his education at OU School of Medicine in the field of opthalmology.

Gloria Kathrine Bleigh passed away June 9, 2021, at the age of 86.

She was born to Talbert and Ella Grimes on Nov. 11, 1934, on Kickapoo Street in Tecumseh. Gloria and her family moved to El Reno when she was 7.

On Aug. 9, 1952, Gloria married the love of her life, Leslie Bleigh, and the two had three beautiful girls, Peggy, Kathy and Gaylyn. In her downtime, Gloria loved to crochet and do all kinds of crafts. She also loved to raise canaries.