Obituaries

James Allen Sisemore, born Oct. 22, 1949, passed away in his home surrounded by friends and family on Aug. 17, 2024. 

Born in Plainview, Texas, to his parents, James and Anita Sisemore, James was a graduate of Plainview High School. After high school, he would go on to attend electronic school in Oklahoma City. Before he moved on to heat and air at Canadian Valley Technology Center where he learned to become a heat and air technician, James joined the United States Air Force in 1970, and was honorably discharged 23 years later in 1993. 

Services for Dressel Andrew Powell will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22 in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel.

Dressel passed away Aug. 14, 2024. He was born April 23, 1939.

Funeral services for Virginia Friesen of El Reno were held Monday, July 22, 2024, in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel with Doyle Kinney officiating. Burial followed in the Parkersburg Cemetery west of Clinton, under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton.

Virginia was born May 3, 1951, to Ervin and Daurice Lovelace in Clinton, and she passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in her El Reno home with her daughter by her side.

Funeral services for Samuel “Sammy” Rodriguez were held Aug. 14 at the Turner Funeral Homes Chapel in Hinton, with Pastor Ken Bryant officiating. Burial followed at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Hinton.

Sammy passed away Aug. 6, 2024, in Oklahoma City. He was born Dec. 31, 1960, in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Lookeba-Sickles Schools.

He was a truck driver and a skilled carpenter. 

Sammy is survived by his wife, Teresa of El Reno; his sons, Daniel Rodriguez and Samuel Rodriguez, both of Florida; daughter, Roxanne Thames of Mustang; and six grandchildren.

Services for Peggy Lou Wegener, a former Minco resident, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16 at Minco First Baptist Church, under the direction of Huber-Reynolds Funeral Home.

Peggy passed away Aug. 11, 2024. She was born Feb. 26, 1929, in Pocasset. She graduated from Minco High School in 1947 and attended Blackwood Business College in Oklahoma City.

She had worked in the dairy industry for 45 years. She joined Minco First Baptist Church in 1946 and taught the beginner class for 25 years. 

Funeral services for Ma’heoneve’Keso Terrill J.B. Medicinebird will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16 at Geary ERC with Rev. Gerald Panana and Rev. Waylan Upchego officiating. Burial will be in the Sunset Cemetery, under the direction of Turner Funeral Home.

Terrill passed away Aug. 12, 2024, in Geary. He was born March 8, 1978, in Lawton. He grew up in Geary and El Reno and attended college in Sante Fe, N.M. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Terrill was a master bead worker.

Teresa Ann Whinery died Aug. 6, 2024, at her home in El Reno. She was born in Dutton on Aug. 2, 1930, to James and Alice (Burns) Downey. 

Teresa Downey and Frank Whinery were part of the 1949 graduating class (consisting of five girls and five boys) of Sacred Heart Academy. They married in 1951 at Sacred Heart Church.

Diana Mae Snyder, age 81, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. She was born Oct. 25, 1942, in Oklahoma City. She grew up in El Reno, where she was a 1960 graduate of El Reno High School. On July 26, 1960, Diana Mae eloped with Charles Andrew Snyder in Poteau. They lived in El Reno and Fort Reno before settling down in Calumet. Together they ran several businesses including the Quik Stop, Snyder’s EZ Stop, Snyder’s Oil & Gas, Johnnie's Grill and Diana Snyder’s Tax Service, all while running the farm. 

Services for Ted Wayne Handley will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14 at Wilson Funeral Home, with burial following at the El Reno Cemetery.

Ted went to be with the Lord on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 12:45 p.m. He was born Aug. 30, 1949, in Ajo, Ariz., to Betty Lee (Littlejohn) Hart and Ted Louis Handley. 

Susan W. Dickens, 79, of Norman, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Aug. 3, 2024. Born to Otto and Anna Wiese of El Reno on April 24, 1945, Susan was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Susan worked for Tinker Air Force Base and after retiring in 2005, she found joy in her passion for gardening and spending time in her greenhouse.