Obituaries

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. 

Services for Sarah “Sally” Louise Lake will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 at CrossBridge Church with Pastor Mark Fryar officiating. Burial will be in the El Reno Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Sally died Nov. 22, 2024, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. She was born Sept. 5, 1929, in Eureka Springs, Ark., graduating from Eureka Springs High School. She attended Peniel College (now Southern Nazarene University). 

Wayne Freeman Knight, born June 12, 1935, in Geary to Andrew and Fannie (Whitener) Knight, passed away Nov. 23, 2024, in El Reno at the age of 89.

Wayne spent his early years growing up in the countryside near Geary before the family moved to Calumet. He attended a country school outside of Geary.

Memorial service for Gregory Allen Taylor will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2 at Wesley United Methodist Church with Pastor Scott Keneda officiating.

Greg died Nov. 17, 2024, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was born Sept. 3, 1959, in Stillwater. He was happily retired from working as a supervisor with UPS and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church. He loved to travel and ride wave runners. 

Earl Leslie Boyer was born west of Calumet to Noel and Nora Boyer on Feb. 4, 1935. Although a member of the silent generation, he was known for his self-taught guitar and mandolin music abilities.

As a teenager he and brother, Ray formed a country western/bluegrass band and played his entire life at many churches.

He joined the military as a young man and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He was proud to have served his country and was very patriotic. 

Earl and his wife, Patsy Eason Boyer enjoyed 24 years of marriage.

Madelyn June Patton was born April 25, 1938, on a farm near Arapaho, and passed away Nov. 19, 2024, in Oklahoma City. She was the eighth of nine children and grew up on the family farm, graduating from Arapaho High School in 1956.  

On May 20, 1962, Madelyn married Robert Wayne Patton, whom she met while working at a bank in Clinton. From this union came three children, Patty, Jenny and Bobby.

John Clarence Thorin, 93, died Oct. 12, 2024, at St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center in El Reno. John was born March 29, 1931, to Clarence and Marie (Christon) Thorin in Boone County, Neb. He graduated as valedictorian from Neligh High School, earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Nebraska and received a doctoral degree in music education from Indiana University.

Robert “Bobbie” Montell Thorin, 90, died Jan. 31, 2024, at St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center. Bobbie was born Jan. 3, 1934, to Lois and C.A. Gentry in Roff, Okla. She graduated from Byng High School as salutatorian.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s in Counseling at East Central State University in Ada.

Services for Robert Ray Thompson were held Saturday, Nov. 16 at Huber-Benson Funeral Home with Rev. Alice Wendling officiating.

Bobby died Nov. 12, 2024, at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. He was born Oct. 6, 1962, in Riverside, Calif. He worked in construction and enjoyed riding motorcycles.

Jimmie Kathryn Shoemaker-Meyer, 103, of Hays, Kan., passed away Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at Redbud Village in Plainville.

She was born Sept. 24, 1921, in Piedmont to John Dallas and Cora Lillian (Russell) Harrison. She grew up in El Reno, graduating from El Reno High School in 1939.