Obit of Willeford, Bobby Joe - Stephens County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 05 Mar 2005 Return to Stephens County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/stephens/stephens.htm ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Duncan Banner 17 Dec 2002 Bobby Joe Willeford Bobby Joe Willeford, 72, of Central High died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, at Central High. Service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church in Duncan with the Rev. Gene Jorgenson officiating and Dr. Jack Robbins assisting. Burial will be in Duncan City Cemetery under the direction of Don Grantham Funeral Home. Choir members and singers of the community are asked and invited to meet at 1:15 p.m. to rehearse for the service at First Baptist Church. Bobby Joe Willeford was born Sept. 7, 1930, in Santa Fe, Okla., to Evert G. and Lois Salmon Willeford. He married Mary Frances Hearn, his high school sweetheart, on June 2, 1949. He attended Cameron College and Oklahoma Baptist University. At 8 years of age he accepted Jesus as his Savior under the guidance of his mother in the kitchen of their home. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church of Duncan by pastor Roy Hurst. Bobby loved to sing. At the age of 13 he led the music in a youth revival at Velma Baptist Church. He sang in operettas, the glee club and with the boys quartet while attending Duncan Junior High and High School. After graduating from Duncan High School in 1949, he and his wife moved to Shawnee so he could attend Oklahoma Baptist University. While living in Shawnee, he worked at Tinker Airfield as an electrician and led music in churches in Midwest City and Seminole. In 1952, Bob felt led to move to a farm at Central High. He began leading the music part time and working with the young people at Central Baptist Church. His ministry there continued for 18 years. In 1953, he became a part time rural mail carrier out of the Duncan post office. He later transferred to the Marlow post office and took a clerk/carrier position. Several years later he became the Assistant Postmaster there. His last three years of service to the United States Postal Service were spent at County Line as Postmaster. He retired from the postal service in 1985. He served as Minister of Music at Velma Baptist Church, Northside Baptist Church of Lawton, Parkview Baptist Church and City Heights Baptist Church of Duncan. He has led in many revivals throughout the state. He retired from music ministry in 1996. He was a member of Central Baptist Church. Up to the time of his illness, he enjoyed golfing, feeding his cows and riding his John Deere Gator. Survivors include his wife of the home; four children and their spouses, Cheryl and Eddie Richardson of Central High, Janet and Jim Selman of Wichita Falls, Texas, Joe and Kathy Willeford of Duncan, and Jim and Rhonda Willeford of Marlow; a brother, Ray Willeford of Cisco, Texas; nine grandchildren, four of whom are married, Michele and Robert Jones and Sonya and John Payne, all of Central High, Jason and Becky Willeford of Norman, Jennifer and Jason Farris of Edmond, Rusty Selman of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Rashel Willeford of Lawton, Jeff and Aaron Willeford of Norman, and Jamie Selman of Wichita Falls; four great-grandchildren, Kimber and Haley Payne and Jordan and Jessica Jones, all of Central High. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Gene C. Willeford. Bearers will be Eddie Richardson, Jim Selman, Jason Willeford, Rusty Selman, Jeff Willeford, Aaron Willeford, Robert Jones, John Payne, Jason Farris and Jay Reed. Honorary bearers are the deacons of Central Baptist Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Chisholm Trail Hospice, P.O. Box 2000, Duncan, OK 73534-2000. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Stephens County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/stephens/stephens.htm