Tony Arzo Pearson

Tony Arzo Pearson, 80, of Del City, OK, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 30, 2011, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was born May 13, 1930, in Oklahoma to Luda Mae (Smith) Malloy and Arzo Pearson. Tony was raised on a farm in Hitchita, OK, where he enjoyed playing basketball for the high school before graduating in 1948. He began working in the oilfields in Holdenville, OK, at the age of 15 before becoming a dragline operator for the Rio Grande Railroad for three years. He then moved to Oklahoma City where he met and married the love of his life, Lavonna Oleta Miller, on March 18, 1950. They made their loving home in Del City where they raised their three daughters. As a licensed electrician, he retired from the Aircraft Maintenance Division at Tinker Air Force Base after 32 years of service. He then went on to teach electrical classes, sharing with others his belief in education, which was that you are never too young or old to learn something new. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Lavonna Oleta Pearson; parents; stepfather, Eugene Malloy; sister, Frankie Jane; grandson, Monte Robert Pearson Barnhill and great grandson, Cody Lane Hiracheta. Survivors include daughters: Sandra Steele and husband, Wade, Rhonda Barnhill and husband, Monte, and Patricia Hancock and husband, Steve; grandchildren: Toni Hiracheta and husband, Jose; Amy Patton and Zachary and Olivia Hancock; and great grandchildren: Chrystal and Miranda Patton and many nieces, nephews, friends and loved ones.

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Tony Arzo Pearson, 80, of Del City, OK, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 30, 2011, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was born May 13, 1930, in Oklahoma to Luda Mae (Smith) Malloy and Arzo Pearson. Tony was raised on a farm in Hitchita, OK, where he enjoyed playing basketball for the high school before graduating in 1948. He began working in the oilfields in Holdenville, OK, at the age of 15 before becoming a dragline operator for the Rio Grande Railroad for three years. He then moved to Oklahoma City where he met and married the love of his life, Lavonna Oleta Miller, on March 18, 1950. They made their loving home in Del City where they raised their three daughters. As a licensed electrician, he retired from the Aircraft Maintenance Division at Tinker Air Force Base after 32 years of service. He then went on to teach electrical classes, sharing with others his belief in education, which was that you are never too young or old to learn something new. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Lavonna Oleta Pearson; parents; stepfather, Eugene Malloy; sister, Frankie Jane; grandson, Monte Robert Pearson Barnhill and great grandson, Cody Lane Hiracheta. Survivors include daughters: Sandra Steele and husband, Wade, Rhonda Barnhill and husband, Monte, and Patricia Hancock and husband, Steve; grandchildren: Toni Hiracheta and husband, Jose; Amy Patton and Zachary and Olivia Hancock; and great grandchildren: Chrystal and Miranda Patton and many nieces, nephews, friends and loved ones. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Tony may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org or 1-800-272-3900. His funeral service will be at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at the Sunny Lane Chapel with interment at 2:30 PM at the Hitchita-Lackey Cemetery.

Arrangements under the direction of Sunny Lane Funeral Home, Del City, OK.