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Thomas
Paul Keathley, 82, the third child of the late Luster and Stella
Keathley, long-time residents of Hughes County, passed away July 24,
2004, at Baptist Hospital in Oklahoma City. Paul was born in a
four-room farmhouse four miles south and one-half mile east of Lamar on
April 22, 1922. He started attending
Shady Grove school, five miles
south and a half mile west of Lamar in 1928 walking more than two miles
each way with his older brothers, Mack and Neil. Luster and Stella had
met at Shady Grove in 1916 during a church service held weekly in the
school. They were married there in 1917. Paul transferred to Lamar
High in the fall of 1935 and completed 3 ½ years of high school before
the family moved to Dustin and he graduated there in 1940. During the
December 1939 move, Paul rode his horse and, all alone, drove the family
livestock from 4 ½ miles south of Lamar to 3 ½ miles south of Dustin.
Paul was interested in woodworking and building. He
took coursework at Wetumka and entered the Army in 1943. He was
assigned to the South Pacific and used his talents in the CB Corps where
he built roads, barracks, runways, bridges, and the like. He and older
brother Mack were assigned to the same unit for a time in the New
Hebrides Islands in the Pacific. Following the war, Paul married the
former Maxine Martin, who grew up in Weleetka, Oklahoma and now lives in Oklahoma City. Paul
worked for several companies and was a construction supervisor for
several major Oklahoma companies. Upon becoming members of South Lee
Methodist Church, Paul was involved in several construction and
modification projects with the church.
Paul is survived by his wife, Maxine, of 58 years,
daughter, Paula Lockhart, of Okla. City and her husband Bo; son, Bobby
Joe of Okla. City; grandchildren, Kristin Scott and husband Cory and
Airman Jacob Foster; and great grandchildren, Jayden and Kiana;
brothers, Mack of Checotah, Neil of Okla. City, Len of Newalla, Alvin of
Wetumka, James of Benbrook, TX, and Phil of California; sisters, Lucia
Gray of Dustin, Marguerite Willoughby of Okla. City, and Melba Hawkins
of Crescent.
Services were help at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28,
at South Lee United Methodist Church, Okla. City, and burial was at
Resthaven Cemetery. Visitation was at Guardian North Funeral Home on
Mon. and Tues. July 26 and July 27, Okla. City. |