News
In Memoriam
January 14, 2025
Honoring OBA members we have lost
2025
April
Annette R. Bohling of Gilbert, Arizona, died April 25, 2024. She was born Feb. 3, 1952, in Afton. Ms. Bohling was active in the Wyoming Department of Education and joined the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement in 1998. For the last several years, she served as the chief accreditation and certification officer of Cognia, the umbrella organization for the North Central Association, the Northwest Accreditation Commission and the Southern Association Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. Ms. Bohling received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1986. Memorial contributions may be made to the Annette Bohling Doctoral Scholarship at Acacia University.
David L. Boren of Norman died Feb. 20. He was born April 21, 1941, in Washington, D.C. Mr. Boren graduated from Yale University in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in American history and from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes scholar, in 1965 with a master’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1968, where he was named an outstanding graduate in his class by faculty. Mr. Boren began his political career in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, where he served from 1967 to 1975. He was sworn in as the 21st governor of Oklahoma in 1975. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 1994 and was tied for the longest-serving chair of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Mr. Boren resigned from his Senate seat in 1994 to assume the role of president of OU. During his time at OU, the university expanded its programs and facilities, including opening an honors college and a college of international studies that was later named in his honor. He served the university for 24 years and retired from the position in 2018.
George Camp of Oklahoma City died Feb. 9. He was born Aug. 15, 1926, outside of Drumright. Mr. Camp served in the U.S. Army in World War II and was stationed in Gen. MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo after the war. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1950 and was a longtime attorney and public servant. He served as a county attorney of Major County, a first assistant U.S. attorney in Oklahoma City and a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for 18 years.
John B. DesBarres of Sand Springs died Feb. 8. He was born Nov. 5, 1961, in Pittsburgh. Mr. DesBarres graduated from Bishop Kelley High School in 1980 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from TU in 1984. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1987 and began his legal career in 1986 as a licensed legal intern at Ungerman, Conner & Little. During his nearly 40 years of practice, he completed client matters ranging from contracts and durable powers of attorney to trial of complex bodily injury cases for both the plaintiff and defense sides. Starting in 2012, Mr. DesBarres became a solo practitioner, focusing on general civil practice, plaintiff personal injury and civil insurance defense in Oklahoma state and federal courts. He was involved in his community, including organizations such as the Rotary Club of Tulsa, the Sigma Chi Fraternity (Delta Omega Chapter) and the Tulsa County Bar Association. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Gary Matthew Hunt of Norman died Feb. 18. He was born Dec. 30, 1950, in Stillwater. Mr. Hunt graduated from Lawton High School and the University of Arkansas in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and retired after 20 years of service. His service included additional education at the Officer’s Basic and Advanced Field Artillery Training Center and the Command and General Staff College. Mr. Hunt was honored with the Meritorious Service Award (4), Army Commendation Medals (2), Army Achievement Award, National Defense Service Medal (2), Overseas Service Ribbons and the Field Artillery St. Barbara’s Medal. During his last assignment as battalion executive officer at the Oklahoma recruiting command, he attended night classes at the OCU School of Law, where he received his J.D. cum laude in December 1993. While in law school, he was a member of the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity for academic achievement. Following 10 years of solo practice, Mr. Hunt accepted a position at the Office of General Counsel with the Oklahoma Child Welfare Services, retiring as chief administrative law judge in 2016. He volunteered as board president of the Sooner Swim Club from 1990 to 2004 and spent many hours at major fundraisers and on deck as a USA Swimming official at swim meets. Memorial contributions may be made to the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center for metastatic prostate cancer research or the Wounded Warriors Project.
Tom R. Gann of Tulsa died Nov. 13. He was born Nov. 21, 1944, in Tulsa. Mr. Gann graduated from Webster High School in 1963 and from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1967. He participated in the U.S. Air Force ROTC for all four years and played on the baseball team. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1970. Mr. Gann served in the U.S. Air Force and was selected as one of the four members of Shaw AFB 1132nd USAF Field Extension Squadron in 1972. In 1973, he was selected to attend the University of Virginia School of Law, where he received his judgeship. He served for seven years, attaining the rank of major, while traveling from North and South Carolina to Southeast Asia, Puerto Rico and the Panama Canal Zone. During his years of private practice in litigation, he represented the Tulsa Airport Authority and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, along with various other clients, and served as the city prosecutor of Bixby. Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of Saint Mary.
Joseph Emory McKimmey of Shawnee died Nov. 10. He was born June 11, 1937, in Phoenix. Mr. McKimmey received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1974. He served as a politician in the city commission, a restaurateur, an entrepreneur, an attorney and a Sunday school teacher throughout his time in Shawnee. Memorial contributions may be made to your favorite place of worship.
Frederick Heins Miller of Edina, Minnesota, died Feb. 13. He was born June 22, 1937. Mr. Miller graduated from Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio, in 1955 and from the University of Michigan with honors in 1959. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of Michigan Law School in 1962. He moved to Columbus, Ohio, and practiced law for several years before becoming a professor at the OU College of Law in 1966. Mr. Miller taught in the areas of commercial and consumer law at OU for 45 years. In recognition of his scholarly work and his dedication to teaching, he was awarded the George Lynn Cross Research Professorship and named the McAfee Professor of Law. In 1975, he was appointed by Gov. Boren to the National Law Conference and the Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, where he was instrumental in drafting material parts of what has become the Uniform Commercial Code. He served as the executive director for nine years and then as president of the National Law Conference. Mr. Miller received various awards for his work in consumer and commercial law, including the Sen. William Proxmire Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. He was a member of the American Law Institute, the ABA and the Ohio and Minnesota bar associations. Memorial contributions may be made to the OU College of Law through the OU Foundation.
Phillip Reed Scott of Waurika died March 17. He was born Jan. 14, 1943, in Waurika, where he grew up and played center and linebacker on the football team, participated in 4-H and was on the 4-H National Champion Livestock Judging Team. Mr. Scott graduated from Waurika High School in 1961, attended OSU for two years – where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity – and graduated from OU in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1969. During law school, he joined the Army ROTC, where he became a brigade commander, was named the outstanding ROTC graduate and received the Gen. Hal Muldrow Pistol. He served from 1969 to 1971 in the U.S. Army as a lawyer stationed at Fort Benning, Fort Holabird and Fort Knox and did a tour of duty in Vietnam. Mr. Scott was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star Medal twice during his service. He returned to Jefferson County in 1971 and became the assistant district attorney before opening his own practice in 1973. During his legal career, he also served as the city attorney for Waurika, Ryan, Temple, Terral and Randlett. In 2022, he retired after 52 years of legal practice. He actively served on the Waurika School Board, the Master Conservancy Board and the Jefferson County Hospital Board. He was also a member of the First Christian Church, the Rotary Club and the Waurika Chamber of Commerce. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church in Waurika or a charity of your choice.
March
Gary C. Bachman of Oklahoma City died Dec. 30. He was born Dec. 9, 1943, in Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated from Midwest City High School in 1961. He attended the University of Central Oklahoma and worked nights at Tinker Air Force Base. He received his J.D. with honors from the OCU School of Law in 1970 and worked at the law firm of Rhodes, Hieronymous, Holloway and Wilson, which later became Holloway, Dobson & Bachman. Mr. Bachman practiced law in Oklahoma City for more than 50 years. He co-founded Zion’s Gate International with his wife, served as an Executive Board member of the International Christian Embassy and partnered with several other Christian and Jewish ministries and institutions. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chabad Community Center for Jewish Life and Learning in Oklahoma City.
Gemma Morrison Bennett of Los Alamos, New Mexico, died May 30, 2023. She was born June 22, 1943, and was raised in Georgia. Throughout her life, she worked various jobs, including secretary, train dispatcher, house mother, oil field technician, writer and editor, landlord and patent attorney. Ms. Bennett received her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1987. She founded For the Animals, a nonprofit organization that supports Los Alamos County Animal Shelter animals. Memorial contributions may be made to Felines & Friends New Mexico.
Bryan Keith Drummond of Tulsa died June 15, 2024. He was born Feb. 8, 1967, in Great Falls, Montana. He served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ventura, California. Upon returning, he earned his bachelor’s degree at OSU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1995. Mr. Drummond worked at the law firm of Rosenstein, Fist & Ringold from 1996 until his death. During that time, he became a partner and shareholder, working with his colleagues to represent numerous school districts and municipalities across Oklahoma. Memorial contributions may be made to your local school district to help students in need purchase items like sports gear, coats, shoes, lunch bills, glasses, etc.
Peter Culver Godfrey of Madill died Nov. 26. He was born Sept. 25, 1956. Mr. Godfrey received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1983.
Harvey L. Harmon Jr. of Oklahoma City died Jan. 22. He was born March 6, 1947, and graduated from Harding High School, where he was on the swim and tennis teams. He spent his freshman year at Wesleyan University in Connecticut but transferred to OU his sophomore year, joining many friends in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Mr. Harmon received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1971 and began his lifelong practice of law, primarily in contract negotiations. He practiced with several firms, including Kerr/Davis, Lawrence, Ellis and Harmon. He served as general counsel for the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority and AFS, a small tech company that grew to international scope. He was a member of the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association. He always found time to do pro bono work for many of his wife’s students and friends.
Samantha Rae Jones of Claremore died Sept. 11. She was born Sept. 20, 1973, in Claremore. Ms. Jones attended school in Oolagah and won two softball state championships as a pitcher. She attended Rogers State College and transferred to Evangel University in Missouri, where she was the first pitching recruit for their new softball team. She graduated from Evangel University with a bachelor’s degree in government cum laude and received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1999. Ms. Jones took on the role of campaign supporter for her husband in his successful bid to become the Oklahoma state representative for District 9. For the next 12 years, she supported him throughout his public service career while balancing her own legal career and family. She worked with the law firm of Carle and Mosier and was an assistant district attorney and title attorney before choosing to stay at home with her family. Memorial contributions may be made to the Will Rogers Memorial Foundation.
Ryan Dean Kiesel of Oklahoma City died Jan. 31. He was born Jan. 15, 1980, in Oklahoma City. Mr. Kiesel was raised in Seminole and graduated from Seminole High School in 1998. He attended OU, where he found his passion for politics. He began working on various campaigns for local and state candidates, including Rep. Bill Nations, and spent several years as a policy advisor to Sen. Kelly Haney. During the 2000 presidential campaign, he traveled the country as a staffer for Sen. Bill Bradley. Mr. Kiesel received his bachelor’s degree in political science in 2002 and his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2006. During his second year of law school, he won the election to represent Seminole as state representative for House District 28 and served for three terms. Afterward, he served as executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma from 2011 until 2020. Mr. Kiesel’s career included working in private law practice, as an adjunct professor at the OU College of Law and as a lobbyist and consultant for a variety of interests at the state Capitol. For 13 years, his insightful commentary on This Week in Oklahoma Politics – a weekly show on KOSU, the local NPR affiliate – offered listeners an honest and incisive look at state and national affairs. Memorial contributions may be made to a college education fund for Oliver and Claire at any BancFirst branch or https://tinyurl.com/KieselMemorialFund.
Jim D. Kutch of Aptos, California, died Dec. 15. He was born Nov. 21, 1935, in Hobart. Mr. Kutch graduated from OU in 1957 and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1969. He received his certified financial planner designation in 1986 from the College for Financial Planning in Denver. He began his military service in the U.S. Navy at the Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and then served on the USS Basilone. He attended Fleet Sonar School and finished in the Naval Reserves in Oklahoma in 1972. Mr. Kutch detached from the Navy as a lieutenant. His career included serving in various leadership positions at Fidelity Bank, American Bank of Commerce, American National Bank of Midwest City and Security Bank of Midwest City. From 1987 to 1995, he practiced at the Oklahoma City law firm of Pate and Payne in the areas of estate planning, elder law, probate and charitable giving. He was the director of capital support and planned giving at OCU from 1995 until his retirement in December 2000. Mr. Kutch was a member of the American Bar Association, the Oklahoma County Bar Association, the Oklahoma City Estate Planning Council and the Registry of CFP Licensed Practitioners. He also served on the boards of several metropolitan civic organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the Chamber of Commerce of South Oklahoma City and Midwest City and several area YMCA branches. He was a member of Mayfair Church of Christ in Oklahoma City for over 30 years and served as a deacon for part of that time.
Ross Nicholas Lillard III of Washington died Jan. 11, 2024. He was born Oct. 6, 1947, in Oklahoma City. Mr. Lillard graduated from Lawton High School and attended OU, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam, where he received commendation medals, including two bronze stars. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1975. Mr. Lillard was an assistant to the district attorney in Cleveland County, a defense attorney and a federal prosecutor for the Western District of Oklahoma. He was president of the Cleveland County Bar Association from 1986 to 1987. Later, he received a Director’s Award from the U.S. attorney general. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.
Patricia Dougherty MacGuigan of Oklahoma City died Dec. 26. She was born Sept. 8, 1939, in Beaver, Pennsylvania. She received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1975. She also held a bachelor’s degree from OU and an LL.M. from the University of Virginia. She was an administrative law judge for the Oil and Gas Conservation Division of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission from 2003 to 2021. She served as judge and presiding judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals from 1982 to 1991. Earlier in her career, she was an assistant district attorney for Oklahoma County and an oil and gas litigation attorney for the Kerr-McGee Corp. Ms. MacGuigan served as master of the bench of the American Inns of Court XXIII in 1990.
Otis Leo Osborn of Tulsa died March 5, 2024. He was born Oct. 30, 1925, in Newalla. Mr. Osborn graduated from Shawnee High School in 1943. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in San Diego, where he served as a pharmacist’s mate in the U.S. Naval Hospital. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law. Mr. Osborn was an OBA member for more than 70 years. He worked with Standard Oil Co., which eventually became Amoco Co., and he remained with them until his retirement in 1985. He was a member of the Asbury Methodist Church, where he was involved in bible study and accountability groups, volunteered in the church library and served as a greeter. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
Annette C. H. Prince of Oklahoma City died Oct. 10. She was born Nov. 3, 1946. Ms. Prince received her J.D. from the OU College of Law.
Jeffrey Lynn Shelton of Seminole died July 15. He was born Aug. 22, 1968, in Odessa, Texas. Mr. Shelton played collegiate baseball and attended OSU for his undergraduate studies. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1994, where he was a Carl Albert Executive Fellow. After law school, he worked as an attorney for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, where he received a governor’s accommodation for his legal work. He went on to work as the city attorney for Cromwell and Sasakwa and as a professor at Seminole State College. Mr. Shelton also coached high school football and was the vice commissioner for American Legion Baseball.
Edwina McKee Taylor of Santa Fe, New Mexico, died Jan. 11. She was born Nov. 20, 1952. Ms. Taylor received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1988. Memorial contributions may be made to Listening Horse Therapeutic Riding, Chaplain Joe’s Street Outreach, Scott’s House or the Equal Justice Initiative.
February
Walter Benton Ashabranner of Edmond died Nov. 22. He was born June 1, 1954. Mr. Ashabranner received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1994.
Arthur S. Bay of Oklahoma City died Aug. 2, 2023. He was born March 1, 1927, in Windsor, Ontario. Mr. Bay received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law and began his career as an attorney in 1957. He was passionate about gardening, birding and traveling.
Patricia L. Carroll of Mesquite, Texas, died Dec. 13. She was born Oct. 15, 1926, and grew up on a farm near Arapaho, graduating from Arapaho High School in 1944. Ms. Carroll studied at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and OCU. She received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1956. While in law school, she worked for Judge John Jarmon and was among his most trusted staff in his Oklahoma office when he became a U.S. representative. Upon graduation, she and her husband practiced together at the law firm of Carroll & Caroll until his death in 1982, and she continued the practice by herself until 2018. Ms. Caroll received her 60-year milestone anniversary pin. She was a member of the Tulakes Baptist Church in Bethany and enjoyed teaching Sunday school classes to adults. For many years, she crocheted a large number of small hats for a children’s home and tracheostomy covers for veterans.
Murray Cohen of Oklahoma City died April 29, 2024. He was born Feb. 22, 1932, in Harlem, New York, and graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx at 16 years old. Mr. Cohen earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy in 1953 from OU. After graduation, he served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Although trained as a forward observer for the Korean War, he served his tour of duty as the chief hospital administrator of the U.S. Army hospital in Nuremberg, Germany, during the Nuremberg war trials. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve until 1961. Mr. Cohen received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1959. He practiced law from 1959 until approximately 2000 and continued to counsel friends and clients for years afterward. He earned national recognition in the ‘70s and ‘80s as a gifted turnaround artist, reorganizing distressed businesses. Memorial contributions may be made to Emanuel Synagogue in Oklahoma City, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, or a charity of your choice.
Stephen A. Collinson of Tulsa died June 21, 2024. He was born Dec. 27, 1942, in Wichita, Kansas. He graduated from Classen High School in 1961 and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from OSU, where he was a member of Sigma Nu. After college, Mr. Collinson joined the Army National Guard and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for his participation in armed ground conflict in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1971 and worked at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission before moving to Tulsa to work for Texaco in 1977. He was a lifelong Episcopalian and a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he served as an acolyte master, lay reader and a member of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. He supported his community and was a regular season ticket holder for TU sports, the Tulsa Drillers, the Tulsa Shock, the Tulsa Ballet and the Tulsa Opera. He also ran multiple Tulsa Runs and the New York City Marathon four times. Memorial contributions may be made to a nonprofit of your choice.
Adam Lee Haselgren of Tulsa died Dec. 11. He was born May 25, 1976, in Denver and spent his childhood in Broomfield, Colorado. In 1991, he moved to Sidney, Nebraska, and graduated from Sidney High School in May 1994. He attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney to begin the pursuit of his lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 2004. After passing the bar, he began his career with the Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office. Mr. Haselgren was adamant about providing public defense for clients who needed legal assistance. He was highly regarded and respected for his knowledge, devotion and compassion by those in Tulsa’s judicial system. Memorial contributions may be made to the family for the Adam Haselgren Memorial Scholarship at the TU College of Law to be awarded to a law student committed to public defense.
Eric H. Hermansen of Oklahoma City died Dec. 17. He was born Feb. 5, 1944, in Atlanta. Mr. Hermansen received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1968 and a Master of Arts in political science in 1973 from Midwestern State University, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1981. During law school, he taught government and political science courses at Oklahoma City Community College. He returned to teaching in the late 2000s for several years. Mr. Hermansen practiced law in the Oklahoma City area for more than 40 years and took pride in being an attorney of the people. Memorial contributions may be made to Inheritance Adoptions or Mr. Hermansen’s funeral expenses at Vondel L. Smith & Sons Mortuaries.
Stephen Pendaries Kerr of Tulsa died July 15. He was born Nov. 10, 1944. Mr. Kerr graduated with his bachelor’s degree from OU. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1969 and his LL.M. from the George Washington University Law School. He also pursued further postgraduate study at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston and the Hague Academy of International Law in the Netherlands. Early in his career, he practiced law in Washington, D.C. He also became an adjunct professor of public international law and human rights. Memorial contributions may be made to the Tulsa Knights of Columbus.
Eric Russell Schelin of Portland, Oregon, died March 18, 2024. He was born May 5, 1976, in Butte, Montana. He attended Butte High School and Montana Technological University, where he graduated with honors. Mr. Schelin moved to Tulsa in 2000, where he worked full time as a contract negotiator at Williams Communications while attending the TU College of Law. He received his J.D. with honors in 2002 and was awarded the Student Bar Association President’s Award. He began his legal career at the Tulsa law firm of Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers PLLC and had recently moved to Oregon and joined a new start-up firm in Portland before his death.
Ronald Stephan Willdigg of Floral Park, New York, died Aug. 14. He was born Oct. 13, 1942. Mr. Willdigg received his J.D. from the OU College of Law.
Bert Randolph Willert of Columbia, Tennessee, died Nov. 22. He was born June 15, 1962, in La Jolla, California. Mr. Willert graduated from La Jolla High School in 1980. He took an interest in music at a young age and started playing the drums in junior high. He played the drums for more than four decades and performed with several bands, including Army of Love, The Voices, The Greasy Petes, Red Truck and Billy Bacon & The Forbidden Pigs. He could also sing and play multiple instruments by ear. Mr. Willert graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1990. He received his J.D. cum laude from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2004, where he was an editor of the Thomas Jefferson Law Review and the Legal Writing II honors course, and his LL.M. from the University of San Diego School of Law. His career as a probate attorney included practice in the areas of tax, business, real estate, bankruptcy, entertainment law and corporate law. For 15 years, he taught graduate-level courses in business law as an online instructor for Liberty University. He was an active member of Calvary Chapel, where he served as an instructor for the School of Ministry.
Richard D. Winzeler of Edmond died Oct. 15. He was born Feb. 10, 1935, in Gridley, Kansas. Mr. Winzeler graduated from Gridley Rural High School in 1953, a class of 22 students, and from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1957. He was president of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Mr. Winzeler began working for Pan American Petroleum and Transport Co. and later for Moak, Hunsaker and Rouse CPAs. During this time, he attended night classes at the OCU School of Law, where he received his J.D. in 1965. He became a trust officer at Liberty Bank Trust Department. Afterward, he worked as a tax partner with Robinson, DeCordova & Billups CPAs, which eventually became Grant Thorton CPAs, where he retired after 43 years in public accounting. Mr. Winzeler also served on the board of Nichols Hills Bank, now RCB Bank. He was a member of Crossings Community Church and enjoyed his men’s bible study at Oak Tree. Memorial contributions may be made to Crossings Community Church.
Michael Grey Wolf of Tulsa died Nov. 5. He was born July 1, 1951. Mr. Wolf received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1988.
Duane A. Woodliff of Edmond died Oct. 1. He was born Nov. 7, 1941, in Norman. He graduated from Henryetta High School in 1959 and earned his bachelor’s degree from OU, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1966, where he served as an editor of the Oklahoma Law Review and The Advocate. After graduation, Mr. Woodliff proudly served as a captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Army Security Agency in Asmara, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Fort Ord, California, until 1970. His career included teaching business law at the University of Maryland Global Campus – European Division, maintaining a general practice in Henryetta and serving as the Henryetta municipal judge, Okmulgee County special judge and associate district judge. He retired in 2014 and served as a volunteer attorney for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO). He was recognized as one of the Oklahoma Outstanding Pro Bono Attorneys of 2016. As an ancillary duty, he established and presided over the Okmulgee County Drug Court, the Anna McBride Mental Health Court and the Family Drug Treatment Court. He was involved with the OBA Board of Governors, the Professional Responsibility Tribunal, the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce, the Henryetta Education Foundation and the Henryetta Medical Foundation, the latter two of which he was a founding officer. He was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church in Henryetta and served many years on the parish board. Memorial contributions may be made to the Okmulgee County Drug Court, the Henryetta Education Foundation or the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
J. Thornton Wright Jr. of Oklahoma City died July 6. He was born Oct. 25, 1930, in Bowie, Texas. He graduated from Classen High School in 1948 and proudly served as vice president of the school and his senior class. He graduated from OU with his bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1954. He was a member of Kappa Sigma and the Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity. Mr. Wright served in the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate from 1954 to 1956. Afterward, he practiced law in Oklahoma City from 1956 to 2008, except for eight years spent as an Oklahoma County District Court special judge. He was a member of the Oklahoma County Bar Association and received his 70-year milestone anniversary pin from the OBA in May. He was a commercial pilot and enjoyed golfing, fishing and quail hunting. He previously served as president of the Oklahoma Society to Prevent Blindness, Golf Inc. and Twin Hills Golf & Country Club. He was confirmed in the Episcopal Church on April 25, 1954, and maintained his faith through life. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.
January
Debra Carol Cook of Norman died Sept. 25. She was born Aug. 18, 1958, in Edmond. She attended Norman High School and graduated from OU. Ms. Cook received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1982. She spent 35 years at the accounting firm KPMG, where she was a tax managing director before retiring in 2018. After retiring, she maintained friendships with many of her former colleagues around the country. Ms. Cook had also conducted genealogy research and recently completed a college-level genealogy course.
Gregory Ben Dixon of Norman died Nov. 17. He was born Dec. 16, 1966, in Muskogee. He was primarily raised in Checotah, where he attended school and graduated from Checotah High School in 1985. Mr. Dixon continued his educational and athletic career at OU. He was a member of the OU football team, achieving three conference championships and one national title and lettering all four years. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1994. With experience in both public and civil litigation, he was elected district judge for Cleveland, McClain and Garvin counties in 2011. He also served as supervising district judge for McClain and Garvin counties. After four years on the bench, he returned to private practice and became a partner at Nichols Dixon. He served on various ministry boards and participated in many organizations and clubs, such as Sooner Brotherhood, rotary club and the chamber of commerce. Memorial contributions may be made to Susie Peters, Mr. Dixon’s dear friend who is battling cancer.
Michael Scott Fern of Nichols Hills died Oct. 10. He was born May 29, 1954, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Putnam City High School in 1972, earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from OU in 1978 and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1980. He spent the first decade of his legal career as an assistant attorney general with the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General and devoted the remainder of his career to the higher education sector. He served as general counsel to the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges in the late 1980s, and for the largest part of his career – over three decades – he acted as counsel to the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. During that time, he also taught several courses to undergraduate students at OSU in higher education law, administrative law and constitutional law. His career culminated with him being named executive vice president of Oklahoma City Community College in 2022.
Harry H. Goldman of Seattle died Nov. 22. He was born Nov. 13, 1952. Mr. Goldman received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1976.
John Wayne Gosney of Yukon died Nov. 17. He was born Aug. 27, 1946, in Tulsa. Mr. Gosney graduated from Bethany High School in 1964. He then attended OU before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. Mr. Gosney was assigned to the Air Force Security Service as a Russian linguist, placing him in the top 1% of basic training graduates. After attending language school in Syracuse, New York, he was stationed in Italy for the duration of his service. He then returned to Oklahoma and completed his undergraduate education at Central State College in Edmond. Mr. Gosney began working at Kerr-McGee in 1973 and eventually moved into the role of employee relations director. He attended night school and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1978. He retired from Kerr-McGee in 2003.
Saundra Floreta Lapsley of Gainesville, Texas, died July 10. She was born Aug. 23, 1948. Ms. Lapsley received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2001.
Patrick Thomas Layden of McAlester died Nov. 17. He was born April 18, 1961, in McAlester. He graduated from McAlester High School in 1979 and earned his bachelor’s degree from OU and his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1987. As a third-generation attorney, Mr. Layden returned to McAlester, joining the Layden Law Firm and working alongside his family. His love for the law and dedication to his clients eventually led him to establish his own firm, Pat Layden Law Firm. He recently welcomed his daughter, Danielle, to the firm as a fourth-generation attorney. He was a proud, lifelong member of the community and served on several boards, including the Boys & Girls Club of McAlester and the McAlester Regional Health Center Foundation.
Brian Brendan Tully of Phoenix died Aug. 22. He was born Aug. 10, 1954. Mr. Tully graduated from the TU College of Law.
Terry Wayne Vanderpool of Jersey Village, Texas, died July 15. He was born Sept. 1, 1951, in Tulsa. After graduating from Will Rogers High School in 1969, Mr. Vanderpool joined the U.S. Army and served honorably in duty stations in El Paso, Texas, and Bavaria, West Germany. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a degree in metallurgical engineering in 1982 and received his J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2000.