Obit of Bynum Sr., Donald K. - Kiowa County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 12 Mar 2006 Return to Kiowa County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/kiowa/kiowa.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== ::Post Cemetery--Fort Sill OK Lawton Constitution 21 Nov 2004 Donald K. Bynum Sr. Funeral for retired Maj. Donald K. Bynum Sr., 73, Lawton, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church, Lawton, with Dr. Gary W. Cook, pastor, officiating. Maj. Bynum died Friday, Nov. 19, 2004, in Lawton. Burial with military honors will be at Post Cemetery, Fort Sill, under direction of Becker Funeral Home. He was born Feb. 5, 1931, in Snyder, Texas, to Leslie Ozro and Lola Gertrude Moon Bynum. He attended school in Snyder and graduated in 1948. He attended McMurry College in Abilene, Texas, and played on a football scholarship. He graduated with a double major in English and physical education. He married Marcelle Weems on Sept. 3, 1949, in Rotan, Texas. He joined the Texas National Guard on his 18th birthday. In 1953, he joined the Army and attended the Basic Officers Training Course at Fort Sill, where he received his commission as a second lieutenant. The majority of his tours were at Fort Sill, but he also served two tours in Germany and one in Vietnam. He also served at Fort Hood, Texas, and at Fort Carson, Colo. He retired in 1973 at the rank of major. He earned many service decorations, including the Purple Heart, Distinguished Service Cross, National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, World War II Occupation Medal (Germany), Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He was instrumental in the early development of Artillery Air Defense Systems, having fired the first Honest John Missile at Fort Sill. After attending the Army Language School in Monterey, Calif., he was assigned as special adviser to the King of Thailand. Following his retirement from the Army, he obtained his master's degree in adult education from the University of Oklahoma in 1979. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Lawton and Mount Scott Masonic Lodge No. 540 in Lawton, Scottish Rite Temple of Guthrie. Survivors include his wife, of the home; five children: Dr. Donald K. Bynum Jr. and his wife Paige, Durham, N.C.; Cecil Glen Bynum and his wife Cathey, Broken Arrow; Michael Keith Bynum and his wife Valerie, Springer; Lucinda Marcelle Henry and her husband Mark; and Lavonne Marlis Rushing and her husband Uwe, all of Lawton; two brothers: Ramon Bynum and his wife Mary Esther, Richardson, Texas; and Lowell Bynum and his wife Janey, San Marcos, Texas; a sister: Elsie Muriel Jones and her husband Jimmy, Lubbock, Texas; a sister-in-law, Ann Bynum, Lancaster, Texas; 10 grandchildren: Patrick Bynum and Pier Bynum, both of Durham, N.C.; Jeremy Glen Bynum and Jennifer Lynn Bynum, Broken Arrow; Amy Bynum Wisian and her husband Joel, Lubbock, Texas; Allen Michael Bynum and his wife Emily, Springer; Justin Daniel Henry, Dillon Michael Henry, Thorsten Rushing, and Stefan Rushing, all of Lawton. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Doyle Bynum. Memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 2601 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City, 73112, or to The American Heart Association, 5700 N. Portland, Suite 203, Oklahoma City, 73112. Sympathy cards may be sent to the family online at www.beckerfuneral. com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Kiowa County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/kiowa/kiowa.html