Obit of Sturgeon, Joseph H. - Unknown County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Sandi Carter 3 Apr 2005 Return to Unknown County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okstate.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Bakersfield Californian Sturgeon, Joseph H. 1916 - 2002 Composer of sermons, cultivator of friends, harvester of lifes bounty. Dad was the eldest of 12 children born to William Fines and Nettie Sturgeon. He was born in Parker Co., Texas, on March 16, 1916, and passed from this life on July 31, 2002, in Vacaville, CA. He leaves to treasure his memory a devoted wife of 64 years, Marie; two sons, Gene and wife, Leona, Tom and wife, Jeanetta; two daughters, Marilyn and husband, Kirk, Betty and husband, Ben; five brothers, Fines Jr., Everett, Lonnie, Leo, and Wayne; four sisters, Hazel, Lois, Faye, and Patsy; nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; and a multitude of family relations, church associates, and personal friends. His parents, one sister, and an infant brother preceded him in death. On Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, a funeral service for Dad was well attended at Greenlawn Southwest Chapel with Wayne Lee Sturgeon of Tahlequah, Okla., officiating. Grandsons who served as pallbearers: Eddy Croxton, Joey Sturgeon, Glenn Sturgeon, Lee Sturgeon, Scott Floyd, and Matt Nunley. Dad loved life true friends, good food, clean fun. More than anything he loved his family. A Texan by birth, he was raised up in the woodland hills of Eastern Oklahoma and part of his heart always stayed there. In May of 1938 he wed the love of his life, Lela Marie Utley. In 1943, with a young wife and three babies, he relocated to California to work in the shipyards and remained in the Golden State to set down roots and rear his family and live a very long, happy and productive life. He was a minister of the Church of Christ for over 40 years and served in that capacity for congregations in Corcoran, Caruthers, Coalinga, Avenal, Lindsey, Strathmore, Turlock, and Chowchilla. He was a wonderful speaker with a unique country boy style and a fast-paced delivery. He was no country club boy, but he loved the game of golf. Neither was he an equestrian, but he could straddle a horse prettier than anyone. He certainly was no college grad, but he was a prolific writer. He was always a natty dresser (thanks to mom) and in his prime he always traveled down lifes road with a little hop and a skip. His eyes were always bright and friendly. He was quick with a smile. Dad had a presence about him. In his later years he was particularly fond of his brethren and sisters at the Highland Church of Christ in Rosedale where he and mom spent many happy hours with special friends Tom and Doris. During the last two years of his life, Dad was well-attended to, primarily by his wife and by his daughter, Marilyn Muth of Vacaville, CA. Dads Legacy of family love will endure just as surely as will his name in a grandson, Joseph Henderson Sturgeon II, Joey of McAlester, Okla.; and in a great-grandson, Joseph Henderson Sturgeon III, Trey of Clayton, Oklahoma. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Unknown County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okstate.html