Honoring OBA members we have lost

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2026

May

Douglas Reese Allen of Norman died March 24. He was born June 2, 1954, in New York City. Mr. Allen graduated from Norman High School in 1972 and from OU with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1976, where he was a member of the men’s basketball team for the 1973-1974 season. Mr. Allen received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1980. He contributed his time and leadership to numerous church committees and was one of the founding members and board president of Food and Shelter for Friends, an organization established in the 1980s to provide food and essential support to those in need. In 1980, Mr. Allen opened his private law practice and dedicated 45 years to serving his clients and community with integrity and compassion. He served as secretary for the Democratic Party of the Cleveland County District for four years and was a longtime member of the South Oklahoma City Rotary Club, where he served as president. Additionally, he dedicated 12 years to the Wesley Foundation board, eventually serving as its president. 

James Ervin Brandon of Tulsa died July 12, 2025. He was born June 24, 1955, in La Jolla, California. He graduated from Midwest City High School in 1973 and played basketball at Rose State College before transferring to OU. He graduated from OU, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1978. Mr. Brandon received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1981. He worked in private practice and served as a prosecutor in Oklahoma, Payne and Logan counties. He spent the majority of his career at the Tulsa County district attorney’s office and eventually became chief of staff in 1999. He also served as an adjunct professor at the TU College of Law.  

James Bullock of Tulsa died July 12, 2025. He was born Sept. 2, 1952, in Athens, Georgia. He grew up in Tulsa and graduated from Bishop Kelley High School in 1970. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1974 and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1982 while simultaneously working for Agrico Chemical Co. Mr. Bullock went into private practice, first in Tulsa and later in Dallas. He served as senior vice president of Worldwide Litigation for Halliburton, based in Houston. He retired in 2008 and returned to Tulsa in 2017.  

Stanley B. Catlett Jr. of Oklahoma City died Feb. 26. He was born Nov. 27, 1928. Mr. Catlett received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1958. 

Ernest Nolan Gates of Bentonville, Arkansas, died Sept. 7, 2025. He was born May 13, 1963, in Newton, Kansas. He graduated from Catoosa High School in 1981. Mr. Gates received his CPA certificate in 1990 and his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1995, all while working full time for Philips Petroleum Co. He spent the last 22 years employed with Walmart, where he set up the company’s privileged practice for the Tax Department and counseled and advised the department, including the company’s entry and the successful navigation of the compliance assurance process with the IRS. Mr. Gates was actively involved in the Tax Executives Institute Inc. for several years, serving on various committees and as the Tulsa Chapter chair from 2013 to 2014. 

James Douglas Groves of Raleigh, North Carolina, died Sept. 13, 2025. He was born Sept. 25, 1931. Mr. Groves received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1958. 

Imogene H. Harris of Clayton died Oct. 10, 2025. She was born Jan. 9, 1930, in Dunbar. She graduated from Northeastern State College in Tahlequah and received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1958. Ms. Harris retired in 1995 after 22 years of service as a civil servant of the city of Tulsa. She served 17 years as a city attorney, the first woman in that position, and five years as the attorney for the Tulsa International Airport Trust. She was one of the first female attorneys at Sun Oil Co. before entering her civil service positions. She received the Trailblazer for Women in Law Award from the Tulsa County Bar Association and served as president of the Oklahoma Women Lawyers Association and the Tulsa County Women Lawyers Association. She received her 60-year pin from the OBA in 2009 in recognition of her years of membership and work as an Oklahoma attorney. 

Charles Ralph Hogshead of Tulsa died Sept. 18, 2025. He was born Aug. 13, 1949, in Morganton, North Carolina. Mr. Hogshead graduated from Morganton High School in 1967 and from Duke University in 1971 after majoring in literature. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, played percussion in the band and sang in the chapel choir. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1974 and was a member of the Order of the Curule Chair for highest academic achievement and served on the Tulsa Law Review. Mr. Hogshead worked for 18 years in various positions at Legal Services of Eastern Oklahoma and served as managing attorney of 11 counties in eastern Oklahoma. He worked with different agencies in Tulsa and throughout eastern Oklahoma, such as the Parent Child Center of Tulsa, United Way, Project Get Together, the Tulsa County Bar Association and the TU College of Law Alumni Association and was involved in the Hudson-Hall-Wheaton American Inn of Court. He was appointed as a special judge for Tulsa County in December 1998, where he served for 16 years.  

Derek Stewart Allan Lawrence of Tulsa died Aug. 18, 2025. He was born Oct. 28, 1956.  

K. T. Meade Jr. of Oklahoma City died Dec. 14, 2025. He was born Aug. 28, 1928, in Pittsburgh. He graduated from Portsmouth Abbey School, Georgetown University and the U.S. Navy aviation program. Mr. Meade received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law. He served as a naval aviator toward the end of the Korean War. He came to Oklahoma City in 1959, joining his brother in the oil and gas business. Over the years, the relationship grew into Meade Energy Corp., an oil and gas producer in Oklahoma, Texas and Pennsylvania. He served on the YMCA Camp Classen Board of Managers for 38 years. For several years, he was president of The Lotus Club and served on the board of the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club.  

Alfred Donald Mileur of Oklahoma City died Jan. 31. He was born Nov. 2, 1925, in Rush Springs and graduated from Rush Springs High School in 1943. Mr. Mileur was inducted into the U.S. Army at Fort Sill in January 1944, shipped out to Fort Benning, Georgia, for basic training, and eventually joined the 1271st Combat Engineer Battalion. He served in France, Germany and Austria before being honorably discharged in May 1946. He attended OU and received his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. He worked as an attorney at the U.S. General Services Administration in 1951 and at the Department of Justice in 1956. He served as president of the Federal Bar Association and received the John Marshall Award for his support of litigation on behalf of the U.S. Mr. Mileur also served the Rush Springs Lions Club in many positions and led the charge to fund construction of the Rush Springs library. 

Clarence D. Owens Jr. of Scottsdale, Arizona, died Aug. 19, 2025. He was born March 27, 1923, in Coalgate. He attended OU prior to volunteering for service in the U.S. Army in 1943. He received his J.D. summa cum laude from the OU College of Law in 1949, where he served as the editor of the Oklahoma Law Review. Mr. Owens was admitted to the practice of law on March 15, 1949, and went on to work at Sinclair Oil & Gas Co. He worked at Sinclair’s headquarters until 1966, when he moved to Arizona. From there, he embarked on a career that spanned 68 years in private practice.  

Robert Lawrence Summers of Norman died May 12, 2025. He was born Aug. 21, 1971, in Norman. He graduated from Norman High School and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 2002. Mr. Summers was a solo practitioner at Summers Law Firm for approximately 22 years.  

Timothy Doyal Wantland of Claremore died Nov. 18, 2025. He was born Jan. 23, 1957. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1990.  

April

Daniel Daugherty Adams Jr. of Oklahoma City died Feb. 8. He was born Aug. 15, 1942, in Oklahoma City. Mr. Adams attended Linwood Elementary, Taft Middle School and Northwest Classen High School before continuing his education at Davidson College. At Davidson, he participated in ROTC for four years, played soccer and baseball and contributed cartoons to The Davidsonian. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1997. Mr. Adams served in the U.S. Army, with his initial post in the Military Intelligence Office in Omaha, Nebraska, which was cut short when he was promoted to captain and deployed to Vietnam as a counterintelligence advisor. He was awarded the Bronze Star. He served as vice president at Liberty National Bank; senior vice president, treasurer and board member at Mid-Continent Life Insurance Co.; and vice president and investment officer at American Fidelity Assurance Co. He was a member of the ABA, the American Council of Life Insurers and the Income Property Advisory Council of the Mortgage Bankers Association. He also served as chairman of the Life Co. Mortgage and Real Estate Council and the Westminster School Board of Trustees, among other positions. 

Michael Charles Bell of Norman died Dec. 30, 2025. He was born Dec. 5, 1966, in Pryor. Mr. Bell graduated from Pauls Valley High School in 1985 and earned a degree in agricultural economics from OSU in 1990, followed by his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1993. He practiced law for 32 years, focusing on the areas of workers’ compensation, Social Security disability and personal injury law. He was the owner of Michael C. Bell Law Firm in Norman and served as chairman of the Multiple Injury Trust Fund board. Mr. Bell was a member of the ABA, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Nation Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. 

Elizabeth Chronos of Tulsa died Jan. 21. She was born Dec. 4, 1947, in Okmulgee. She attended Okmulgee High School, where she was the head cheerleader and named homecoming queen. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970 and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Ms. Chronos began her career as a legal book editor with Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Co. in Rochester, New York. She went on to receive her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1997. While in law school, she served as president of the Women’s Law Caucus and received American Jurisprudence awards in intellectual property, criminal law, Native American law and international law. Ms. Chronos practiced law in Tulsa for nearly 30 years. She was honored with the Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service by Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. 

James S. Colgan of Tulsa died Feb. 12. He was born Nov. 27, 1939, in Hutchinson, Kansas, and graduated from Duncan High School. Mr. Colgan began his career working as a delivery and stockroom clerk at State Federal Savings & Loan. He earned his bachelor’s degree and his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1969. His leadership led him to become president and director of State Federal Savings & Loan before becoming president of Oak Tree Federal Savings Bank. Mr. Colgan also served as the director of the Tulsa office for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he was named National Field Office Director of the Year for his work in Oklahoma City following the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing. He was a member of several organizations, boards and committees, including the city of Tulsa’s first Audit Committee, Tulsa Habitat for Humanity (as chair of the board), the OBA (a proud 50-year member), Up With Trees and more. He also held roles on the State Advisory Group for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Downtown Housing Fund and the Economic Development Commission, among others. 

Brian Maurice Dell of Oklahoma City died Dec. 1, 2025. He was born June 6, 1941, in Oklahoma City and graduated from Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in 1959. Mr. Dell enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1961 and was assigned to the U.S. Army Language School in Monterey, California, to study Mandarin Chinese. He served in Okinawa, Japan, and at the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland, as a translator/interpreter before his enlistment was up in 1964. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from OCU and a master’s degree in accounting from OU. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1976. He held a number of jobs before becoming a lawyer, including merchant seaman, clerk with the post office, CPA and accounting professor. Mr. Dell was admitted to the practice of law in Oklahoma in 1977 and in Texas in 2004. He was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Circuit Courts for the 5th, 9th and 10th circuits; the U.S. Tax Court; and U.S. district courts in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. 

Thomas G. Ferguson Jr. of Edmond died Aug. 16, 2025. He was born May 12, 1948, in Spokane, Washington. He graduated from Columbus High School in Columbus, Georgia, in 1966 and attended the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. He received his J.D. from the Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1973. He then moved to Lawton, where he was commissioned as a first lieutenant, serving in the Field Artillery at Fort Sill. After passing the Virginia bar exam and being admitted to practice law, he was promoted to captain in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and served from 1973 until 1977. After being honorably discharged, he joined a private practice in Bluefield, West Virginia. He later joined the Army Reserve, again serving as a JAG officer, and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring in 1998. He received two Meritorious Service Medals and honorably served his country for over 23 years. He was a trial attorney, practicing law at his firm, Walker, Ferguson & Ferguson. His legal career spanned more than 52 years. He also served as the city attorney for Union City and was a member of the Defense Research Institute. 

Frank L. Gruntkowski of Tulsa died Dec. 19, 2025. He was born Oct. 25, 1970, in Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Gruntkowski received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1996. He was a practicing attorney in Tulsa.  

Robert George Haney of Miami died March 2. He was born May 12, 1950, in Tulsa. He had lived in Miami since 1975, moving from Hominy. Mr. Haney attended OSU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1975. He was in private law practice before becoming a district judge for Ottawa and Delaware counties. He was a member of Miami Masonic Lodge #140, the Tulsa Scottish Rite Consistory, the Akdar Shrine and the Grand Lake Shrine Club, among other organizations. 

Timothy D. Leonard of Oklahoma City died March 2. He was born Jan. 22, 1940, in Beaver. He attended Beaver High School, where he played basketball, ran track and served as class president for three years. He attended OU on a four-year track scholarship, was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1962. Mr. Leonard received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1965. He joined the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps and attained the rank of lieutenant commander. He served in the Pentagon and as a White House military aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson. He served as an assistant attorney general under G.T. Blankenship before entering private practice. In 1970, he went into law practice with his father at the firm of Leonard, Trippet & Leonard (later Leonard, Trippet, Leonard & Kee). In 1979, he was elected to the Oklahoma Senate, where he served as minority leader. He went on to serve as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma and a U.S. district judge from 1991 until 2026. 

Lawrence A. Martin II of Cleveland died Jan. 3. He was born March 27, 1949, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He graduated from Cleveland schools in 1967 and attended Rogers State University, Northeastern State University and OSU. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law. After returning to Cleveland, he opened a private law practice where he represented underprivileged children and the public. Mr. Martin served as a Pawnee County district attorney before opening a new private law office in Cleveland. He represented many clients and held offices as the city judge for Cleveland and Mannford. 

Gary L. McKnight of McAlester died Dec. 19, 2025. He was born Jan. 2, 1942, in McAlester. He graduated from McAlester High School in 1959, earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from OU in 1964 and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1966. Mr. McKnight served two years as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He then returned to McAlester to begin his legal career, including serving as an assistant district attorney. In 1970, he launched his real estate venture with McKnight Realty and opened his own law firm, where he practiced for more than 50 years. His practice focused on estate planning, real estate, probate and energy law.  

Gerard F. Pignato of Norman died Feb. 24. He was born April 22, 1959, in Meriden, Connecticut. He grew up in Elmira, New York, and graduated from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1977, ranked third in his class. Mr. Pignato played baseball at Brown University and was a member of the Phi Delta Sigma fraternity. He graduated in 1981 and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1984. Mr. Pignato practiced law for 40 years and was proud to serve as a trial lawyer.  

Troy Wayne Poteete of Webbers Falls died Feb. 5. He was born March 6, 1955, in Muskogee. Mr. Poteete received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 2001. He served as a Cherokee Nation Tribal Council member from 1991 to 1999, helping shape legislative policy during a pivotal era of growth, and his dedication to protecting the tribe continued after he was appointed a justice of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court in 2007. He also served as director of the Arkansas Riverbed Authority. He helped found the National Trail of Tears Association and served as the executive director.  

Robert Lee Rabon of Hugo died Jan. 30. He was born Jan. 1, 1961, in Hugo. He graduated from Hugo High School in 1979, where he lettered on the basketball team. He graduated from OSU in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Mr. Rabon received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1988, graduating second in his class. He practiced law alongside his father in Hugo for more than 30 years. He was an advocate in shaping the modern application of the Indian Child Welfare Act, which applies to tribes across Oklahoma.  

Keith Sims of Bartlesville died Feb. 16. He was born Oct. 6, 1949, in Tulsa. He attended Sand Springs Public Schools and graduated from Charles Page High School in 1967. Mr. Sims earned his associate’s degrees in applied science and police science in 1974 and his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1985. He received his J.D. from the California Western School of Law in 1987. Upon graduation, he returned to Sand Springs and eventually moved to Bartlesville in 1989. He was admitted to the bar in 1988. Mr. Sims served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971 and left as a police sergeant. He worked for the Bartlesville Police Department from 1971 to 1981. He then worked at Heskett & Heskett Law Firm and later served as the assistant district attorney in Osage County. As an ADA, he prosecuted felonies and misdemeanors and represented the state on behalf of children in deprived actions. Mr. Sims retired at the age of 62 but continued to work for Osage County as an attorney, representing the interests of deprived children. His most notable achievements included being named attorney of the year by the Pawnee/Osage CASA in 2014 and receiving a citation from the Oklahoma State Senate, District 10, State House District 36 and speaker of the house for his professional accomplishments and years of service to Oklahoma citizens. He was also recognized by the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council.  

Stuart Lee Yates of Las Vegas died Sept. 9, 2024. He was born July 14, 1962. Mr. Yates received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1995.  

March

Patrick Ralph Abitbol of Claremore died Jan. 4. He was born Nov. 10, 1956, in Casablanca, Morocco, and attended schools in Bradford, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Buffalo State University in 1974 and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1980. Mr. Abitbol began his legal career as the assistant district attorney for Rogers, Mayes and Craig counties, a career that spanned 29 years. He also practiced law privately and served as the municipal judge for the cities of Verdigris and Catoosa. He retired in September 2025.  

Kenneth Dale Bodenhamer of Tulsa died Jan. 18. He was born April 14, 1934, in Bedford, Indiana. He received his J.D. from the O.W. Coburn School of Law in 1982. 

Linda Lou Donelson of Tahlequah died Feb. 25, 2025. She was born May 8, 1955, in Muskogee. Ms. Donelson graduated from Braggs High School as the valedictorian and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northeastern State University. She worked for a year as a teacher in Oklahoma before serving as the office manager for Tim Baker and the Willis Law Firm while getting her law degree. After receiving her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1993, she worked for the Cherokee Nation. 

John William Doolin of Oklahoma City died Dec. 30, 2025. He was born May 28, 1947, in Indianapolis. He grew up in Alva and attended Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. Mr. Doolin graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1972. He practiced law in Lawton, serving his community for 50 years. Mr. Doolin was a member of the OBA Board of Governors from 2002 to 2005. He also served as legal counsel for Cotton Electric Cooperative for 40 years.  

George Marvin Emerson of Edmond died Dec. 29, 2025. He was born March 9, 1964, in Oklahoma City. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at 19 years old, which he fought and defeated. He attended OU, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1989. Mr. Emerson practiced at the law firm of Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & Lewis for more than 37 years. He handled bankruptcy cases in the Western District of Oklahoma and did probate and estate planning. In addition, he worked with the Oklahoma Insurance Department as outside counsel handling insurance company receiverships. 

Jay Barry Epperson of Tulsa died Dec. 15, 2025. He was born Aug. 7, 1938, in Tulsa. He grew up in Tulsa, attending Eliot Elementary School, Horace Mann Junior High School and Central High School, where he served as a class officer, lettered in football and graduated in 1956. He then attended Washington and Lee University, where he graduated with a degree in political science in 1960. In college, he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He served in the U.S. Army for four years as an intelligence officer with extended assignments in Monterey, California, and Poitiers, France, during the Vietnam War. After his service, he received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1968. He practiced in the areas of estate planning and probate and served as a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He represented an international trade association as general counsel and chairman of the Government Affairs Committee. Mr. Epperson was active in the Tulsa County Bar Association, serving as its president in 1983 and president of the Tulsa County Bar Foundation in 1984. He was also a member of the American Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. He was a writer, co-authoring two biographies, one of which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He also wrote business articles for frequent publication in trade journals. 

Sevier M. Fallis Jr. of Tulsa died Dec. 27, 2025. He was born Dec. 19, 1934, in Tulsa. He graduated from Rogers High School and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law. Mr. Fallis joined the U.S. Navy Reserve. He became a county prosecutor in 1960 and served as the first district attorney for Tulsa County from 1967 to 1981. He personally tried more than 150 felony jury trials. In 1981, after 14 years, he went into private practice. During the following 25 years, he practiced with law partners.  

Billy G. Freudenrich Jr. of Tulsa died Oct. 31, 2025. He was born May 6, 1961, in Oklahoma City. He grew up in Edmond, where he attended Deer Creek schools. Mr. Freudenrich graduated from OSU, where he majored in accounting and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1988. His practice spanned 50 years, with a focus on Employee Retirement Income Security Act law. Mr. Freudenrich retired from the law firm of McAfee & Taft.  

James Mercer Lamb of Tulsa died Dec. 27, 2025. He was born June 13, 1944, in Enid and grew up in Wagoner. Mr. Lamb graduated from OU with a degree in finance, where he was a member of one of the original President’s Leadership Scholars classes and of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He worked in various positions, including in all departments and branches of the First National Bank of Hawaii, sales manager and product manager of a communications magazine in Colorado, editor of Future and vice president of the public relations division of Ackerman Inc. Mr. Lamb went on to receive his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1979 and worked at the law school in university relations. After graduation, he practiced law for the rest of his life. He first practiced in the area of oil and gas law but switched to personal injury law after the oil bust in the early 1980s. He later expanded to general practice.  

Kenneth Clay McCoy of Yukon died July 28, 2025. He was born Nov. 12, 1948, in McAlester. He graduated from McAlester High School in 1967, where he played trumpet in the school band. He spent many hours hunting the woods of Pittsburg County with his dachshund and flying radio-controlled aircraft. Later, he became a private pilot, flying all over the U.S. and to the Bahamas. Mr. McCoy attended East Central University, where he studied accounting, and he graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1974. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1976 and began his practice in Norman. Mr. McCoy mentored young lawyers and gave guidance to dozens of attorneys and staff.  

Stephen Russell McNamara of Tulsa died Jan. 24. He was born March 12, 1953, in Tulsa. Mr. McNamara attended Marquette School and Cascia Hall, earning the Cascia Medal in 1972. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1976 and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1979. Mr. McNamara’s legal career began as general counsel at Reading & Bates, where he routinely circumnavigated the globe, negotiating drilling contracts in every major global basin. In the late 1980s, his career shifted focus to more domestic oil and gas pursuits, joining the law firm of Sneed Lang and then establishing the law firm of McNamara, Inbody & Parrish. He served as a trusted legal advisor and litigator to numerous clients. Later, he joined the law firm of Hall Estill, where he took joy in mentoring and advising younger attorneys beginning their careers. Mr. McNamara’s passion for mentoring led him to teach undergraduate courses in oil and gas law at the TU College of Law. 

Clyde A. Muchmore of Oklahoma City died Nov. 12, 2025. He was born Jan. 4, 1942, in Los Angeles. He was raised in Ponca City and spent his adult and professional life in Oklahoma City. He graduated magna cum laude from Rice University, where he was invited to join Phi Beta Kappa. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1967, where he served as the note editor for the Oklahoma Law Review, was a national moot court finalist and received the Nathan Scarritt Prize for maintaining the highest grades in his class. In 1967, Mr. Muchmore started his legal career at Crowe & Dunlevy, beginning a 58-year career at the firm. He was co-lead counsel before the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case of NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, which forever changed college sports broadcasting and antitrust law. He also co-authored a pair of seminal works for Oklahoma legal practitioners that adorn the desks of attorneys appearing in Oklahoma state and federal courts.  

Mary Bernice Shedrick of Stillwater died Jan. 20. She was born Aug. 9, 1940, in Chickasha. She graduated from OSU with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She taught at Stillwater Public Schools from 1969 to 1980. Ms. Shedrick received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law. In 1980, she was elected to the Oklahoma Senate, representing District 21, where she served with distinction until 1996. She was the principal Senate author and chief architect of the Oklahoma Education Reform Act of 1990 (HB 1017). She also authored the legislation that created the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (HB 1286). In recognition of her vision and leadership, the OSSM library bears her name. She has been recognized through numerous honors and awards. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in 1996 and received the Henry G. Bennett Award from OSU in 1994. Her academic excellence was acknowledged through Phi Kappa Phi membership, awarded to the top 10% of her graduating class at OSU, as well as the American Jurisprudence Award. She also served on the Professional Responsibility Commission from 2003 to 2004 and the Oklahoma Ethics Commission from 2004 to 2007. After retiring from the Senate, Ms. Shedrick continued serving the public as an administrative law judge. She ran a law practice while co-founding Shedrick Management LLC. 

Timothy Michael Wilson of Lihue, Hawaii, died Jan. 26. He was born Nov. 30, 1947, in Lorain, Ohio. He graduated from Cordell High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. After graduation, he immediately joined the U.S. Marine Corps, enrolling in officer candidate school, becoming a captain and serving two tours of duty in Vietnam. Mr. Wilson was a decorated veteran and had many accomplishments, including his wings, Bronze Star medals and multiple Purple Hearts. Following his service, he returned to Norman and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1979. While at OU, he co-founded the OU Rugby Club. Mr. Wilson served as a public defender in Oklahoma County for 35 years. His proudest and most enduring accomplishment was his creation and implementation of the Veterans Diversion Program. He received several notable awards, including the Jack Dempsey Pointer Jr. Champion for Criminal Justice Award, the Clarence Darrow Award and the Pat Williams Memorial Indigent Defender Award.  

February

Dorothy Johnston Amis of Austin, Texas, died May 10, 2025. She was born March 30, 1938, in Dallas. Ms. Amis graduated from the Hockaday School for Girls and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1979 and practiced in Oklahoma and Texas until her retirement at age 74. Ms. Amis enjoyed a long employment as a staff attorney to Federal Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Texas. 

Jack D. Fisher of Edmond died Jan. 3. He was born April 25, 1951, in Guthrie. Mr. Fisher grew up in Crescent, where he was a three-sport star athlete, playing quarterback, shooting guard and catcher for the Tigers. He graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1975. After clerking for Judge Homer Smith and practicing with Bay, Hamilton, Renegar & Lees for a year, he started his own law practice with his wife. Mr. Fisher was a criminal law attorney and became one of the first in Oklahoma to be certified to handle federal habeas corpus cases.  

Bill G. Freudenrich Jr. of Tulsa died Oct. 31, 2025. He was born May 6, 1961, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from OSU, where he majored in accounting and was an active member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1988 and practiced mainly in Employee Retirement Income Security Act law. His career spanned 40 years, with significant relationships formed at Mysock & Chevaillier; Boone, Smith, Davis, Hurst & Dickman; and McAfee & Taft, where he was a founding partner of the firm’s Tulsa office and from where he eventually retired. 

Cody E. Gilbert of Oklahoma City died Dec. 5, 2025. He was born Oct. 15, 1985, in Pauls Valley. Mr. Gilbert grew up in Garvin County in the Elmore City and Pauls Valley areas and graduated from Elmore City High School. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 2011 and lived in the Oklahoma City area since 2004. 

Hali Klein Goss of Oklahoma City died Nov. 11, 2025. She was born March 28, 1961, in Tulsa. She graduated from TU with a bachelor’s degree and received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1992. Ms. Goss began her career with State Farm while attending law school. That career would span nearly 40 years, during which time she received multiple professional designations.  

John B. Hayes of Edmond died Nov. 24, 2025. He was born March 21, 1938, in Wilburton. He graduated from OSU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1962, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Phi Delta Phi. Mr. Hayes practiced law for more than 60 years. His legal career began at the law firm of Looney, Nichols, Johnson & Hayes before he co-founded Hayes Magrini & Gatewood, where he remained active throughout his life. He was a long-standing member of the American Bar Association, including the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee and the Forum on Construction Law. He also served as vice chair of the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee. He frequently lectured at ABA programs and the Defense Research Institute and authored numerous articles and treatise chapters on fidelity, surety and construction topics. 

Eddie Wayne Jackson Sr. of Oklahoma City died Nov. 5, 2024. He was born June 3, 1941, in Dimebox, Texas. Mr. Jackson graduated from Moore High School and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1996. 

Michael David Lewis of Edmond died July 28, 2025. He was born Aug. 17, 1960, in Lawton. He graduated from Putnam City Original in 1978. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from OSU in 1982, where he was a member of the Oklahoma Beta Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He served as the fraternity’s president from 1981 to 1982 and later as a chapter advisor. Mr. Lewis received his J.D. from the O.W. Coburn School of Law at Oral Roberts University in 1986 and was a member of the law school’s last graduating class before it closed in 1986. He worked as an associate at the law firm of Looney, Nichols, Johnson & Hayes in Oklahoma City, where he practiced insurance defense, among other things. Mr. Lewis left the firm in 1990 to form his own practice and remained self-employed until his death.  

Steven Louis Little of Oklahoma City died June 29, 2025. He was born Feb. 10, 1956. Mr. Little received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1986.  

Donald L. McCorkell Jr. of Aliso Viejo, California, died March 25, 2025. He was born June 28, 1947, in Baltimore. Mr. McCorkell lived in Tulsa for most of his life before relocating to California. He graduated from TU with a bachelor’s degree in political science and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law. Mr. McCorkell represented Tulsa’s 72nd District in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1979 to 1996. During his 17-year tenure, he became known for his commitment to economic development, public education and bipartisan cooperation. In 1996, he stepped down from the Legislature to run for the U.S. Senate, and a decade later, he ran for mayor of Tulsa. After his political career, he focused on environmental documentary filmmaking and was passionate about literature and storytelling. 

Judge James Hardy Payne of Tulsa died Dec. 2, 2025. He was born March 3, 1941, in Lubbock, Texas. He graduated from high school in Stamford, Texas, in 1959. Judge Payne received a football scholarship from OU, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1963. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1966, and during law school, he served as a graduate assistant coach for the OU football team. Between 1966 and 1970, he served as a judge advocate general officer in the U.S. Air Force with Strategic Air Command at Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi. He served a temporary duty assignment at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and was discharged from active duty in 1970. Judge Payne moved to Oklahoma in 1970 and served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee. He briefly worked in private practice in Muskogee while serving as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. He resumed his Air Force service as a reserve JAG officer before retiring in 1992 as lieutenant colonel. In 1988, he was appointed as a full-time U.S. magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and then as a U.S. district judge by President Bush in 2001. He kept chambers and received cases in both the Eastern and Northern districts and served as the chief judge of the Eastern District from 2002 to 2017. He transitioned to inactive senior status in 2020.  

Michelle Goen Porta of Henderson, Nevada, died Jan. 8. She was born Jan. 28, 1948. Ms. Porta retired Jan. 3, 2023. She received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1978.  

John Ray Stacy of Oklahoma City died Dec. 7, 2025. He was born Dec. 31, 1949, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Northwest Classen High School in 1968. Mr. Stacy attended OSU and OU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1975. After Mr. Stacy’s 31-year law career, he shifted his focus and became a founder of Striker Land Services. In recent years, he worked as an independent landman. He served on numerous committees and organizations and was honored widely for his service and involvement. 

James Ray Stout of Edmond died Nov. 30, 2025. He was born April 10, 1946, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Classen High School and OU with a bachelor’s degree. Mr. Stout received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1972 and practiced law in Yukon for 48 years. He also served in the Marine Corps Reserve for four years. He was a member of the Choctaw Nation, and during his time at OU, he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.  

John Thomas Synowicki of Dallas died Dec. 28, 2025. He was born Feb. 11, 1984, in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from Millard North High School in 2002, where he was captain of both the varsity football team and the debate team. He attended Dana College, where he was captain of the football team, a three-time All-American and valedictorian. Mr. Synowicki triple majored in history, international studies and Spanish. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School in 2010. During law school, he served as chief justice of the Vanderbilt Moot Court Board, was on the dean’s list, received the Thomas Banks Award, competed on the Jessup International Moot Court team and was a member of the Phi Delta Phi Honors Society. Mr. Synowicki worked for GableGotwals and Polsinelli Law Firm, where he was a shareholder. He was a frequent speaker across the country, and he helped shape policy, taught and lectured. 

January

Charles Wesley Barker Jr. of Collinsville died March 18. He was born Feb. 22, 1947, in Hobart. Mr. Barker received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1982.  

Deborah S. Arnold Block of Norman died Sept. 25. She was born Feb. 19, 1962, in Champaign, Illinois. She attended Norman High School and graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in business in 1984. Ms. Block received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1987. She received both of her degrees with honors. She briefly began her career in litigation before leaving corporate practice in 1994 to manage Associated Metallurgists, where she worked with her father. 

Edward Lee Bowman of Grove died May 9. He was born May 16, 1946. Mr. Bowman received his J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law in 1975. 

Kelley Charles Callahan of Edmond died Sept. 10. He was born Aug. 22, 1952, in Oklahoma City. He attended Colgate University on a baseball scholarship. Mr. Callahan received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1980 and proudly practiced law until his retirement.  

David Roger Cerchie of Vero Beach, Florida, died Sept. 8. He was born Sept. 7, 1946, in Joplin, Missouri. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law. Mr. Cerchie began his legal career practicing in Tulsa. In 1994, he cofounded VersaFlex, a polyurea and protective coating technologies company. The business expanded and eventually joined the PPG family of companies. He then moved to Vero Beach, where he served as treasurer of Bike Walk Indian River County. 

Renee Colbert of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, died Feb. 27. She was born Feb. 3, 1955, in Shattuck. She attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University on a flute scholarship, where she was the featured majorette, and graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1977. Ms. Colbert received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1984. She practiced law in Oklahoma and later in western Pennsylvania, where she led Colbert Law. She shared her 40 years of experience with her fellow lawyers and paralegal students as a professor at the Western School of Business and later Duquesne University.  

Ronald V. Collier of Edmond died Oct. 13. He was born April 27, 1938, in Anadarko. He attended Geary High School, where he played football, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Mr. Collier taught history at Putnam City Schools while attending law school at night. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1969. After graduation, he worked with the Oklahoma City municipal counselor’s office. He went on to join Mesis Law Office in Hennessy before returning to Edmond.  

Judge Louis Alvin Duel Jr. of Guthrie died Nov. 21. He was born May 8, 1963, in Guthrie, where he attended school and graduated in 1981. Mr. Duel earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Oklahoma and attended law school in the evenings while serving as the Logan County undersheriff. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law and was hired as an assistant district attorney in Logan County. Eight years later, he was appointed as a special judge by Judge Donald Worthington. Two years after that appointment, he was elected as Logan County associate district judge, a position he faithfully served in for the last 16.5 years. 

Norma Eagleton of Tulsa died Aug. 13. She was born March 19, 1934. She graduated with degrees from Stephens College and OU, and she received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1988. Ms. Eagleton became the first female commissioner (finance commissioner) on the Tulsa City Commission in 1976 and, in 1979, was the first woman to serve on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. She has been inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame, the Claremore Hall of Fame and the Claremore Public Schools Hall of Fame. 

Tom Allen Frailey of Chickasha died Sept. 14. He was born July 1, 1951, in Stillwater and graduated from Perry High School in 1969. He received his bachelor’s degree in business from then-Central State University in 1973 and his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1976. Mr. Frailey began an internship at Vaughn, Stack & Huckaby in 1975 before eventually settling in Chickasha and becoming a partner, retiring in July 2017. He was the Chickasha city attorney for more than 40 years and served as the city attorney for Marlow, Comanche, Rush Springs and Alex. He was also a bar examiner, creating questions for the bar exam and grading them.  

Robert Richard Hamilton of Dallas died Oct. 30. He was born April 2, 1937, in Fort Worth. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1961. Mr. Hamilton joined the U.S. Army, which became a 42-year-long career. He served as an attorney for the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in St. Louis and then for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Alabama, where he managed defense contracts.  

Helen M. Kannady of Jenks died July 29. She was born July 4, 1931, in Broken Arrow and graduated from Will Rogers High School. Fostering children inspired her to attend college to become a social worker, which then led her to law school to work in the juvenile court. The opening for a special judgeship at the juvenile bureau came before Ms. Kannady had finished law school. With special permission from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, she began the assignment with the assurance that she would complete law school and the bar exam. She received her J.D. from the TU College of Law. When the time was right, she stepped aside from that position to practice family law.   

Mark Dewayne Nation of Oklahoma City died Nov. 30. He was born Jan. 25, 1960, in Oklahoma City. Mr. Nation graduated from OU with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1991. His spinal cord injury led him to help others with social security disability and catastrophic personal injuries.  

Randy Clayton Parsons of Shawnee died July 20. He was born June 14, 1947, in Shawnee. He graduated from Shawnee High School in 1965. Mr. Parsons attended East Central University after high school but was soon drafted into the military. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft electrician during the Vietnam War from 1996 to 1970, when he was honorably discharged. He graduated from East Central University, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, with a bachelor’s degree in English and history. Mr. Parsons received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1975. He started his legal career by joining his father’s law firm, which became Parsons & Parsons. In 1995, he opened his own practice, where he practiced until his retirement in 2013. He received his 50-year milestone anniversary pin as an OBA member in 2025. Mr. Parsons was also a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association. Even after retirement, he enjoyed talking to old clients and continuing to give legal advice. 

William W. Pritchard of Tulsa died March 17. He was born March 20, 1951, in Tulsa. He attended College High, where he played varsity basketball with his brother and best friends. Mr. Pritchard graduated with honors from the University of Kansas, where he pledged Sigma Chi, with a bachelor’s degree in history. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1975. He served as general counsel at Parker Drilling Co. for 23 years.  

Barbara Rauch of Oklahoma City died May 9, 2024. She was born April 26, 1944. Ms. Rauch finished high school on her own and graduated from OU. She received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law, during which time she interned at the Oklahoma attorney general’s office. Ms. Rauch became the chief environmental attorney for the state of Oklahoma after graduation. She relocated to the Cayman Islands for 12 years before returning to Oklahoma to work at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, where she was employed until she was 70.  

Marjorie Maria Redbird of Choctaw died Oct. 20. She was born March 11, 1954. Ms. Redbird received her J.D. from the OU College of Law.  

Larry Keith Shaw of Bethany died Sept. 14. He was born March 2, 1944, in Altus. Mr. Shaw graduated from Altus High School and OSU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in civil engineering and was honored with the Engineering Saint Patrick Salute Award. He served on the OSU Board of Engineers for several years and enjoyed meeting with engineering students. Mr. Shaw received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1975. He spent most of his career in the oil and gas business, especially working with offshore facilities. He lived overseas for several years in Singapore and England and conducted most of his work in the Middle East, China, Singapore, Europe and the North Sea. While there, he was always involved in coaching and working with the children of fellow expats at the American schools. After returning to the States, he retired from Fluor Corp. 

Tythe Hill Stites of Tulsa died Sept. 12. He was born March 22, 1956. He received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1984.  

Margaret P. Taylor of Durant died July 20. She was born Oct. 21, 1941, in Blanchard. Ms. Taylor graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and became a music teacher. She received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1977. She practiced both criminal and civil law, and she was the second female lawyer in Durant. She gave much of her time to pro bono work, helping women in difficult situations and others in need. Ms. Taylor was involved in the Bryan County Bar Association, the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival, the Bryan County Federation of Democratic Women, Dayspring Church, the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, the Chautauqua Women’s Club and the Chautauqua Bird, Tree & Garden Club.  

Charles W. Wright of Noble died Nov. 29. He was born Nov. 12, 1943, in New York City. He graduated from Grant High School in 1961 and earned his Ph.D. in sociology and anthropology in 1976 from the University of Notre Dame. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1984. Mr. Wright taught sociology and criminology at OU and OCU. He finished his career practicing law in Norman, having worked at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. He was the co-author of numerous publications on sociological theory, mainly with Talcott Parsons.