Preston Albert Trimble

Preston Albert Trimble, a former district attorney, district judge, and long-time private practice attorney died Monday November 30th.

Services will be on Wednesday, December 9th at 11:00 am at St. Thomas More University Parish Catholic church. Because of the spike in Covid19 cases, a mask that covers the mouth and nose will be required. For those who do not feel comfortable attending, the mass will be livestreamed on the St. Thomas More Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/oucatholicparish).

Preston was born August 27, 1930 to James Albert “Bert” and Winne Walker Trimble in a community known as Wolf Creek near Salina Oklahoma. When he was four, the family moved to the San Joaquin Valley in California. Preston attended California public schools until the eighth grade when the family moved back to Oklahoma. He graduated from Pryor High School in 1948.

He served in the U.S. Navy for 4 years. In 1952, through the GI Bill, Preston was able to enroll at the University of Oklahoma. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1956. Preston worked for a year at the Norman Transcript as an advertising salesman before returning to OU to obtain a law degree in 1961.

After graduation, Preston served first as an assistant county attorney, was appointed county attorney, and then became the first District Attorney for the 21st District in January of 1967. He served as District Attorney for 17 years and was subsequently elected district judge in 1979, a post he held for 12 years.

As a prosecutor then as a judge, Preston always believed in having an open-door policy with the public. He urged citizens to “call me if you think I am not doing my job. I always tell everything I know, so if you hear something or want to know something, just call me and I’ll tell you”. While taking a hard stance against crime, Preston also believed in equal justice under the law with no special favors for anyone. Throughout his career he advocated education as a way out of poverty and supported rehabilitation programs that emphasized it.

During his long and distinguished career he served as president of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association, president of the 4,000-member National District Attorneys Association, consultant and instructor on prosecution office management and as chairman of the Board of the National Center for Prosecution Management.

Preston joined the Air Force Reserves in 1963, serving in the Judge Advocate Office at Tinker Air Force Base and retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1986.

An avid bird hunter and field trialer, he was active in the Wildlife Federation and served as president of the Oklahoma Field Trial Clubs of America and president of the American Field Trial Clubs of America.

Preston had a deep faith that played a central role in his life. He lead the men’s prayer breakfast at McFarlin Methodist Church for over 50 years and was involved at St. Thomas More University Parish where he attended with his wife, Patty.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Wilma, Eugenia and Jackie, and brother Wayne. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Patty, of the home; a son Todd Trimble of Dallas; two daughters, Beth Allan and Amy (Mark) Wood both of Edmond; and six grandchildren, Joshua (Libby) and Jeffrey Trimble, Nathan (Katelin) Wood, Amanda (Chris) Wilson, Stephen Wood, and Emily Allan, also two great-grandsons; Miles Trimble and Bennett Wood, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Many people have been forever impacted by the life of Preston Trimble.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to:

St. Vincent dePaul Society

c/o St. Thomas More

100 E. Stinson

Norman, OK 73072